Scrapbook Layouts | Scraps Of Mind

Archive for the ‘Scrapbook Layouts’ Category

Posted by karooch on

May 22, 2008

What Do You Do with Your Scrapbook Layouts?

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So once you’ve finished your scrapbook layout what do you do with it?

Do you have lots of different albums; maybe based on themes like vacations and Christmas etc. or perhaps individual album for each member of the family?

I know the journey of creating the layout is often more important that the end result. But I like to have my layouts displayed in some format.

Usually I will print my scrapbook layouts out, if they are digital layouts and I keep the latest on displayed on a little easel on a shelf above my desk. Then when I make the next one I store the layout in one of my albums and replace it on the easel with the new one.

I have an album dedicated to my daughter’s life which I add to every so often and a fledgling Book of Me album which I confess doesn’t have many layouts in it. I also make themed albums for my overseas trips. Everything else goes into a sort of Miscellaneous album.

I rarely post my layouts in on-line galleries these days. I guess my on-line gallery is Scraps of Mind, as many of my layouts end up illustrating my articles here.

But I do love to sit down with a cup of hot chocolate and browse through my albums. It’s a great feeling on a number of levels. I enjoy the memories that browsing through the albums spark for me. And I also like to look at all the different scrapbooking styles and scrapbook ideas I’ve tried and evaluate them more objectively with the distance of time.

I rarely would actually change a layout unless it really really bugged me. But I do like to see how my scrapbooking has evolved.

So back to the question at hand.

What do you do with your scrapbook layouts.

Share with us in the comments below. Who knows, we might even get some new ideas from reading what other Scraps of Minders do.

Black and White Scrapbook Layouts

I’ve written a few articles on the topic of colour schemes for scrapbook layouts in recent times. So I thought it was time I wrote about Black and White scrapbook layout colour schemes.

Let’s face it black and white is always a strong, elegant combination and on a scrapbook layout it can look fabulous.

It can be the perfect foil to a highly colourful photo, as in my Just an Old Fashioned Melody layout. And it can also look great with black and white photos; creating the ultimate monochrome scrapbook layout.

The key things to remember when designing your black and white scrapbook layout are that you need to include plenty of texture and contrast in your design and elements.

Texture on Black and White Scrapbook Layouts

For a black and white scrapbook layout to look effective it should offer some variety to the viewer’s eye. With other colour schemes that variety is largely taken care of by the variety of colour and tones used in the different elements. With black and white layouts you need to add that variety by choosing elements with different textures, because the colours are not really contributing.

For paper scrapbookers, this can be achieved through tearing or crumpling your papers. Or by rolling and curling the edges. You can also choose a mix of materials with different textures in your design; such as cardstock, patterned paper, corrugated cardboard, fabric, ribbon, buttons and beads.

Make up for the lack of colour variety by replacing it with texture variety.

Digital scrapbookers can also use texture in their black and white scrapbook layouts. As you can see in the layout illustrated here, I have added a torn, rolled edge to my patterned paper and I’ve used a crumpled paper effect on the background, rather than just leaving it a flat black.

Applying effects such as bevels and shadows also help you to add texture to the layout. Your graphics editing software is probably packed with different textures you can apply.

Add Contrast to your Black and White Scrapbook Layouts

Black and White is the second most contrasting colour duo in the palette (no it’s not the strongest colour contrast, studies have determined that honour goes to black and yellow). So you’re already starting out with a contrast advantage. But if you’ve spread out a range of black and white papers in front of you, you’ll have realised that they’re not all the same. Some blacks are more charcoal or very dark grey, and whites can range from driven snow to creamy ivory.

Make sure that you pick some good contrasts in your tones. Especially in your embellishments. Otherwise they will disappear into the overall colour scheme and become almost invisible.

Digital scrapbookers can pump up the contrast on some of the embellishments to give them extra punch.

I used the music elements from Amy Cheeseman’s Heartsong kit in the Just an Old Fashioned Melody layout. I converted them to black and white and then increased the contrast to give them a bit of extra punch. Otherwise they would have receded into the background and been practically absorbed by the depth of the black.

I love the way that you can do stuff like this in digital scrapbooking. If your element isn’t exactly the colour, shape, size you want for your layout you can easily modify it to be what you want. And your original element remains the same; to be used again on another scrapbook layout.

If you’re a paper scrapbooker and you’d like to give digital scrapbooking a try so you too can do cool stuff like this. I recommend you click over to Step by Step Digital Scrapbook, which is a site designed specifically for absolute beginners to digital scrapbooking. Once you start, you’ll be totally hooked.

Embrace the Space … on your Scrapbook Page

Yesterday I wrote about Simple Scrapbooking and I touched on the minimalist style of scrapbook layouts. Where you leave a large part of your layout canvas empty.

This is called ‘white space’ or ‘negative space’ and is a technique used in advertising and magazine layouts. Basically it means that by leaving plenty of space around your focal subject, the viewer’s eye is not confused and is drawn automatically to your point of focus. It also means that the layout design is more restful to the eye as it is not darting about all over the page, trying to take in all that there is to see.

When this style started to be taken up by the scrapbooking world, I admired the scrapbook layouts that these minimalist scrapbookers were creating but I found it really difficult to do it myself.

It’s amazing how strongly a habit becomes ingrained. I felt I just couldn’t leave so much empty space on my layouts. I had to just pop a cluster of flowers there, or maybe some ribbon and brads.

It took quite a while before I could come to terms with the Less is More approach. But I have to say, I’m really glad that I persisted. And now it’s become one of my favourite scrapbook ideas.

In this Forever scrapbook layout you can see what I mean by Less is More. The elements for this layout are from the Scrap Girls Refresh Kit. I love the effect created by a single photo with just a small collage of embellishments in a corner and a title. And I can now happily deal with leaving all the rest of the layout canvas empty. Because I think the overall effect is stylish and easy to look at.

What do you think of the Less is More approach?

Have you tried it? Maybe is isn’t for everyone, after all how boring would it be if we all adopted the same scrapbooking style? There’d be no fun in looking through other people’s galleries.

And if you’re thinking of giving it a go, here’s a little tip. If you choose your background paper with an interesting design in it, it’s easier to cope with leaving so much of the space empty.

What are your thoughts?

Simple Scrapbooks, what are they?

What are Simple Scrapbooks … or maybe I should say Simple Scrapbooking?

I’ve come across this term a lot and I wondered if it applies to a particular approach or style to creating scrapbook layouts or whether it refers to how you structure your scrapbook albums.

Gayle Humphreys from the magazine Simple Scrapbooks gives this definition “A simple scrapbook is defined in terms of the “Five F’s”: Framework, Format, Finished, Fast and Freedom.”

Hmmm … not really helpful I thought.

I read her article on WhatIs describing the Framework component and I came to realise that to be a Simple Scrapbooker you need to be very well organised and have planned out your scrapbook album pretty much from the start.

The structure includes, title page, a dedication/introduction page, a table of contents and section pages throughout the album. This sounds fine for a specific themed album, say your daughter’s wedding or a special vacation. These are albums dedicated to a specific event which has a defined beginning and end and is now over. So you have all the material for the album to make your scrapbook album at the same time. And in fact I have made a couple of albums about my overseas trips in this way. Although I haven’t done the table of contents, I have divided the album into countries by the colour scheme.

But most of the things I scrapbook are not that organised.

I am a totally random scrapbooker. Sometimes I dip into my old dodgy photos and create a layout from my daughter’s life and add it to her life story album. This is not done chronologically or with any theme whatsoever. It is the second scrapbooking project I ever started and it will probably be the last one I’ll finish.

Or is Simple Scrapbooking more about the style of your layouts?

When I first started scrapbooking I felt it was important to fill up the entire canvas of the layout. I had to leave no space unfilled. Mind you I’ve never been a ‘collage’ style scrapbooker. I think that’s a style which requires a certain touch that let’s you know when enough is enough.

Then I discovered the minimalist approach. Which typically uses one photo, or maybe a cluster of smaller ones and embraces the ‘white’ or empty space on the layout as part of the design (credits to Thao Cosgrove for her fabulous Art Journal Kit used in the Bloggo Ergo Sum layout). And although I enjoy playing with other styles, I’ve discovered myself doing more and more of my layouts in this style.

It’s a very simple, uncluttered look which I think showcases my photos well. And I think it is therefore a Simple Scrapbooking style.

What style do you favour? Or do you like to try lots of different styles … maybe we could invent a name for that. How about Smorgasbord Scrapbooking?

Yeah, I think I like being a Smorgasbord Scrapbooker.

Come and Ge-et it!

Come and get your Yummy Treats Scrapbooking Recipe Book, that is

I’ve been talking about this project for the last month or so. I think it’s a great scrapbook idea. And a number of Scraps of Mind readers contacted me and said that they wanted to be a part of it.

Although quite a few were not able to submit a layout (I guess life got in the way, as it so often can), we do have enough to make this slimline exclusive volume. And I wanted to get it out to you before Mothers Day.

I think it looks pretty cool.

To pick up your copy, click on one of the Download buttons below.

I’ve packaged it in two formats.

The Quick and Easy format is a PDF file which you can print out onto paper or photo card.
Alternatively, if you want a better quality finish. All the pages are available in separate high resolution JPG files. Print them out individually onto good quality photo card and assemble your book by slipping them into clear plastic pockets (wait until the ink is totally dry first), or punching holes in one side. You can then put them into a slim binder and adhere the cover page to the front.

If you want to get the PDF ebook PLUS all the High Quality files then use this Download button. The zip file is 30 Mb.

If you just want the PDF ebook then use this Download button. The PDF file is 3.13 Mb.

There are some very fun recipes in the book and it might be nice to bake one of them for your Mum on Mothers Day to go with the book.

Thank you to all those who participated. You can see who they are in the credits at the back of the book.

You came up with some stunning scrapbook layouts and some super Yummy Treat Recipes.

All the scrapbook layouts in the Yummy Treats Scrapbook Recipe Book have been digitally scrapbooked. Are you a digital scrapbooking newbie or maybe a paper scrapbooker/card maker who would like to try digital scrapbooking but are a bit concerned about the learning curve?

Well click over to Step by Step Digital Scrapbook. I’ve put together this site to help people who are interested in finding out more about digital scrapbooking and would like some ‘hand holding’ help to get them going. If that sounds like you, please come over and check it out.

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Posted by karooch on

April 22, 2008

Using Word Art in Real Life

On the weekend my sister said to me ” I really love the Word Art in your Weekly Newsletter, but I don’t really know what to do with it. It looks great but I just don’t know how I can use it in ‘real life’ ”

So I thought I’d provide some examples of Word Art in action and also show you how to use it as greetings inside your cards.

And for those of you who don’t make your own cards, you can still do this and use it in cards with blank insides to make them a bit more spiffy and personal.

Word Art on Scrapbook Layouts

Word Art can be used in two ways on scrapbook layouts.

As your Scrapbook Layout Title.

Coming up with a knacky title for your scrapbook layouts can sometimes be a little challenging. Using Word Art as your title is a handy little scrapbook idea that can meet the challenge. If you’ve been collecting a library of Scraps of Mind Word Art you should have quite a few potential scrapbook titles in your stash by now.

You can see how June from Cen’s Loft has used the Host of Golden Daffoldils Word Art (from the Scraps of Mind Weekly Word Art Newsletter) quote on her layout here.

For Digital Scrapbookers it’s as simple as opening the Word Art file and dragging the Word Art onto your layout. You can then adjust the size and colour to suit your layout and you’re done.

For Paper Scrapbookers you can print out the Word Art onto paper, cut around the edge and chalk the paper in a complementary colour. Then matt it onto a piece of coordinating cardstock, cut it out, ink the edges and you have a cool scrapbook layout title element.

You can use Word Art as journaling on your scrapbook layouts too.

The Word Art that is based on quotes is particularly good for using this way. Just follow the same steps outlines above for a cool journaling alternative.

Word Art in Card Making

In the same way as for scrapbooking above, you can use your Scraps of Mind Word Art as part of your hand made card design. Just resize to suit the smaller card size and follow the same techniques as for scrapbooking.

Word Art is particularly handy to use as messages for the inside of Greeting Cards.

Here’s how you do it:

Open your Word Art files and drag them onto a New File that’s set up for 300 dpi and is A4 or 8.5 x 10 inches (whatever is the size that your printer takes).
1. If you don’t use a photo editing software program you can still do this in Word by selecting Import Picture.
Resize your Word Art by dragging it in by the corner handles until it’s the size that would fit your card.
I would suggest that you repeat this with two or three pieces of Word Art so you can print off a few at a time.
Print out your Word Art on good quality white printer paper. Allow the ink to dry thoroughly.
Now rub some coloured chalk gently over the surface of the paper And blot with another piece of paper to set the chalk.
You can then cut out the Word Art either cutting around the edge of the design or adding a few doodles or scrolls to frame it.
Fix it to the inside of your card either with glue or with brads and you’re done.

And if you have a blog, I’d love you to spread the word about the Scraps of Mind Word Art by proudly displaying this blinkie on your blog.

Just copy and paste the text in the box below into a Text Widget for your blog’s sidebar (or whatever the thingy is called on your particular blog platform) and help me share my Word Art with the World.

<a href="http://www.scrapsofmind.com/2007/11/27/free-word-art-newsletter/" target="_top">
<img src="http://www.scrapsofmind.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/free-word-art-blinkie.gif" border="0" alt="Free Word Art at Scraps of Mind - 3 pieces of original Word Art delivered to 
your inbox each week" hspace="0" width="125" height="125" align="left" /></a>

I hope this article has given you some ideas to help you get the most out of your Word Art.

Does Size Matter…in scrapbooking?

The accepted standard size for scrapbooking is 12inches by 12 inches.

I’m not sure why that’s it standard, but it is.

12×12 albums don’t fit comfortably on any bookcase of livingroom shelving unit that I know of. They always stick out, inviting someone to bang into them.

I guess the size has something to to with having enough space to position several standard sized photos on the page together with embellishments. And a square is, generally speaking, an easier format to work with than a rectangle.

And as we’ve moved towards digital scrapbooking, we’ve kept the same sizing convention.

Most digital scrapbookers create their layouts in a 12×12 format. Including myself!

And the bizarre thing is that, unless we send them to a commercial printer to print out, we need to resize them down to 8×8 to fit them on our home printer.

Is it just me or does this sound crazy?

And I’m not poking my finger at other scrapbookers here. This is what I do too! I always scrap at 12×12 and resize for printing. And my layouts look great in the smaller size. And the 8×8 albums fit perfectly on my bookcase and look good too.

So does someone have the answer as to why we do it?

I know there are alternative shapes to scrap with; 8.5 inches x 10 inches or A4 size. And I’ve tried layouts in those formats. But I have to say I’m not really comfortable with them. I do prefer the square format.

So what are your views?

Are you a 12×12 scrapper or do you have another preferred format?

And does anyone know who started this scrapbook idea of a 12×12 standard?