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Documenting Your December - Photos To Capture

Hi and welcome back to "Documenting Your December" at write. click. scrapbook!  Monday was all about organizing your Christmas stash and yesterday was all about planning ahead. Today I am going to talk a little bit about photographing your December. A December Daily is a wonderful treasure to create, but the glue that holds the whole album together is the photos you capture throughout the month! 

Taking a photo a day for a month is relatively easy, but to get a nice complete album that encompasses the entire holiday it is good idea to set some time aside to plan a few activities/photo ideas before December rolls around.  You definitely don't need to plan each and every day of the month but it is nice to have a game plan in place to get you motivated to see the project through til the end!

 

Here are a few of my personal favorite moments to document throughout the month.

 

Document the traditions you share with your family. Be it a silly little elf that visits, cookies you make together, or games that you play. Take the time to document those traditions that make this the most wonderful time of the year.  

 

Something as simple as documenting the weather, adds to the overall feel of your album. We always dream of a white Christmas here, and when it happens it is something that gets photographed and goes in the album!

 

Christmas morning is the most wonderful time to take photos! The joy and excitement is easy to capture and makes for a fun photo collage for an album.

 

Of course, a December Daily is never complete without the yearly photo(s) with Santa. 

 

 

A Holiday Photo Checklist is a great tool to use to help keep you on track for the enitre month. Rebecca Cooper has a great holiday photo checklist here that I have used for my December Daily albums in the past! Better Homes & Gardens Scrapbooks etc. also has a great checklist available for use! Download and print these checklists out to keep as a constant reminder to capture those memories! 

There are so many magical moments we hope to capture when undertaking a project of this magnitude. My number 1 tip is to start off with a game plan, and always keep your camera nearby & on hand at all times. Capture what is happening and get it documented, the time you take to do that will make the album so much easier to put together :)

Documenting Your December - Planning Ahead

Hi and welcome back to "Documenting Your December" at write.click.scrapbook!  Yesterday was all about organizing your Christmas stash.  Be sure to check out yesterday's post for some creative organization tips!

Today, I thought I would talk a little about pre-planning your album.  As I mentioned previously, this is my third year doing a December album.  I pre-planned my pages by creating daily page dividers and daily pages my first year.  Last year, I took a more causal approach and decided to only prepare my cover prior to December.

 

My goal with last year was to use my Christmas stash and try to minimize any large purchases.  I stuck with a simple paper covered chipboard cover and just used large rings to bind my book.  The pretty red ribbon was definitely a necessity as the month went on....this book is jam-packed with goodness!!

I liked the freedom the "daily" approach gave me.  But it definitely was more work and December is just a crazy busy month as it is, so it was a challenge to get it completed!!

This year, I am using the December Memories kit from Gossamer Blue.  Kits are great because they have everything you need for both pre-planning your album, as well as completing your album throughout the month!  This Gossamer Blue kit is amazing and I'm so excited to have my album pre-planned well before Thanksgiving this year!

I am using the page protectors that come with the album and I also created some of my own page dividers by trimming paper the same size as the entire page protector.  I like a mix of plastic and paper throughout my books.

I also like to have lots of "peek-a-boos" throughout my albums and have created confetti pockets and used alpha/tags by themselves in pockets to give that "see through" effect.  Don't feel like you have to add something to every pocket when you are pre-planning your pages.  You will need plenty of room for journaling and pictures throughout December!

When pre-planning your album, be sure to "think outside of the box".  For the page above, I trimmed down a page protector so I would have a smaller 2 picture insert.  This continues with the transparent effect and leaves the next page peeking through.

The album may look pretty bare now, but soon it will be filled with our December memories!!

Have you started your planning process yet? Remember to keep it simple!  You don't have to do too much now.  Just try to get things in your album!  You can always move them around when you have your pictures and memories in mind.  Sometimes it's easier to have a "base" rather than trying to organize, plan and create all at the same time!

Thanks so much for joining me today!!  Be sure to check back tomorrow for more "documenting your December" fun!!

Documenting Your December - Introduction & Organizing

Hi everyone!!  Welcome to a new week at write. click. scrapbook. This week we are diving into the holiday season early to get you all ready to document your December.

Ali Edwards embarks on her traditional "December Daily" every year and the result is just amazing! This will be my third year of completing a December album and it is, by far, my favorite project each year. I love pulling out my albums at the beginning of the holiday season and flipping through our memories. My kids and husband especially love them, which make them even more special!

Today I thought I would focus on "getting organized" since that's the sometimes the biggest part of the project....and the most fun, I think! I keep all of my Christmas supplies tucked away in plastic bins and only pull them out when Christmas is in sight! It keeps them "magical" and new!

Once I pull out my supplies, I try to organize them to see what I have to work with.  I love using random little bowls and muffin tins when I organize. Cups, bowls and smaller dishes make it easy to transport your embellishments and other supplies when working on your album. 

Glass jars are perfect for storing your supplies as well! They keep everything in sight, and like the bowls, are easy to transport from place to place!

Baskets are great for storing larger items like sticker sets, bags, stamp sets and alphas. You can often find great baskets at the dollar store of the dollar spot at Target!

I keep loose items, like tags, trimmed papers and die cuts, in a small suitcase. When I work on my album, I dump everything out on my table and then rummage through them to find the perfect embellishment! To clean up, I just add everything back into the suitcase and then close the lid. 

So go get your supplies out and start organizing! I promise you will be inspired to create once you get everything unpacked and out in the open!  

I will be back tomorrow to continue on our "Documenting Your December" week!

Sunday Photo + Words

scrapbook!

It has been a most amazing week with Carey helping us learn how to make better use of our sketches. I don't know about you, but I was completely blown away. Some things I have done without thinking, some I have known to do, but then there were the additional 263 things I could do with a sketch. Woohoo! Thank you, Carey!

Especially considering today is our Scrapbook! Saturday which means a new sketch and color palette. Let's get started.

 

SKETCH

This month, our sketch is based upon Diane's layout in our Dreaming gallery.

I picked it as the sketch layout because of the potential for nine photos. Here is how the sketch came together.

 

This month we had 5 team members join in the sketching fun. First up is a layout from Sue Althouse that made me grin from ear to ear with its lovely colors that helped me forget the dreary winter brewing outside.

 Did you notice how the birdie photos (which are awesome, Sue!) go diagonally through the circles. It maintains a good sense of order. The layered embellishments are terrifically well done, too. 

 

Next up is Stephanie Bryan's layout. With her signature ethereal colors and vellum layers, there is so much to love. Comparing to the sketch, you can see that Stephanie rearranged the circles to two columns of five and shrunk the title to a tag. Like Sue, she masterfully layered embellishments in lieu of photos.

 

Kate Christensen's layout uses three photos to document a morning routine. I had forgotten how much I love light kraft. This layout makes me want to run out and buy some. Teamed with the soft yellows, pink, blue, and a touch of orange, it is all my happy colors in one place. Delightful artistry. And the title is genius with its mixed fonts.

 

The greatest change up comes from Laura O'Donnell who reconceptualized the plentiful circles. And then relocated the title circle to the lower right hand corner. 

I love that the photos start on the ground with feet and needles and then move up to grass, then leaves, and limbs. Laura, your photos are amazing! This layout thrills me to see the incredible versatility in a layout. Carey would be proud!

 

Lisa Ottosson made the only layout that isn't square. Removing most of the white space from the vertical, she stayed true to the 9 circle grid, opting for just one photo. And then some very simple, but stunning, additions. Lisa also changed up the edges punching scalloped circles, which immediately softens the graphic quality.

 

I put together two layouts. The first stayed completely within the lines of the sketch, with the exception of one little word. I was so happy to have all these photos together in one place that I didn't even think to add anything more.

 

Then, I tried to rotate the sketch. I turned it 180. then back 90, and then just admitted that I liked it best just as Diane made it! So this one looks a lot like the first. But those yummy little puppy faces are distracting enough to not make you care, right?

 

Thank you, Diane, for a wonderful layout from which to base a sketch upon. If you prefer to work with a layered template, please download it here. I hope you enjoy working with this one. I thought is was fun enough to use twice! hahaha.

 

ROYGBIV

This month our color palette comes from Amy Kingsford's layout in our Dreaming gallery.

 

Here it is.

Kind of sort of dreamy, no? Perfect for a layout about dreams. 

 

I used it in tiny proportions against a stark white background.

I liked the moodiness of all the black juxtaposed against the bright white and pale pastels. Thank you, Amy, for inspiring such a lovely palette.

 

Thank you for stopping by! It was wonderful to look back through the gallery and find places to be inspired. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please let us know if you are inspired to create a layout or three!

Get More from Your Sketches and Templates {Day 5}

TGIF! It's been a fun week exploring different ways to get more uses from your sketch or digital layered template stash!

 

I want to wrap up the week by sharing some ideas for using your 12x12-inch sketches/templates for creating different sized layouts or projects. Most templates can be altered to fit your desired page size by resizing or moving some or all of the design elements, whether they have lots of white space or are full of photos and elements. By changing the size or position of one or more objects on the page, you don't have to be limited to the 12 x 12 in. size or even to layouts to use sketches/templates for your projects.

 

I chose to use the October 12 x 12 in. sketch/template with multiple photos to demonstrate that you can use a simple or a complex sketch/template for multiple page sizes. Using white space on the page provides the opportunity to go vertical or horizontal with the design. You can download the layered digital template here to play along!

 

Converting to Different Page or Project Sizes

 

From the original sketch, you can make the following changes by resizing or shifting elements of the design.

 

 

1. Resize to 8.5 x 11 inches (or 11 x 8.5), with additional white space. For digital scrapbookers, in Photoshop Elements open a new file File>New>Blank File and set the dimensions at 8.5 x 11 inches at 300 dpi. With the original template file open, from the top menu select Image>Resize>Image Size... and set the width and height at 8.5 inches. Keep the resolution at 300 dpi. Select all of the layers in the template except the background layer and drag and drop those layers onto the new 8.5 x 11 in. file. Shift any layers as desired. This method can also be used for A4 size.
2. Resize to 8.5 x 11 inches (or 11 x 8.5), shifting, duplicating or excluding some page elements. Open a new file File>New>Blank File and set the dimensions at 8.5 x 11 inches at 300 dpi. Resize the original template to 8.5 x 8.5 in. Select all of the desired layers and drag and drop those layers onto the new 8.5 x 11 in. file, toward the top of the page. Select all of the layers on the bottom row of the design and copy the layers. Then, move those layers to the bottom of the page. Shift or resize any layers that may be overlapping. This method can also be used for A4 size.
3. Resize to 6 x 12 inches (or 12 x 6 inches). Open a new file File>New>Blank File and set the dimensions at 6 x 12 inches at 300 dpi. Select the desired layers in the template except the background layer and drag and drop those layers onto the new 6 x 12 in. file. Shift any layers as desired so they fit the page.
4. Create a 4 x 6 pocket page card. Open a new file File>New>Blank File and set the dimensions at 4 x 6 inches at 300 dpi. Select the desired layers in the template except the background layer and drag and drop those layers onto the new 4 x 6 in. file. Shift or resize any layers as desired so they fit the card.
5. Create a 3 x 4 pocket page card. Open a new file File>New>Blank File and set the dimensions at 3 x 4 inches at 300 dpi. Select the desired layers in the template except the background layer and drag and drop those layers onto the new 3 x 4 in. file. Shift or resize any layers as desired so they fit the card.
6. Create a card instead of a layout. Scale the design to a smaller format square or use one of the above ideas to resize the design. Instead of photos, use patterned paper or embellishments to create a card. Place the sentiment in the title location.
7. Resize to 8 x 8 in. or 6 x 6 in. With the original template file open, from the top menu select Image>Resize>Image Size... and set the width and height at 8 inches (or 6 inches). Keep the resolution at 300 dpi. The text and title layers may need to be enlarged to remain readable on the final layout. Resize any other layers as desired by clicking and dragging the corner handle of the selected layers and increase them to your liking.

 

Here are a few examples using the above sketch/template:

 

Amy K created an 8.5 x 11 layout using the sketch and adding and extra row at the bottom. She also mixed things up by using photos, patterned papers and embellishments for the various squares, as well as replacing the title banner with a large bow.

 

I created a 3 x 4 inch pocket page card. The banner was a perfect place for my simple title.

 

I also created a 4 x 6 pocket page card, including three photos.

 

I'm also planning to use this sketch/template to create a 6 x 6 card - a perfect way to use up lots of small scraps and left-over embellishments!

 

By moving the page elements of the sketch/template, either as a group or individually, you can place them on a new canvas that is a different size than the original sketch/template. The page elements can be resized initially or used at the same size as the original. Using the ideas presented above, you can create multiple layouts in various sizes and not be limited to the 12 x 12 inch size of the original design.

 

Thanks for joining me this week! I hope you've gotten some inspiration for using your sketches/templates in different ways. Be sure to stop by tomorrow for the new monthly sketch and try some of the ideas presented this week!

 

Happy Scrapping!

Get More from Your Sketches and Templates {Day 4}

I hope you're enjoying sketch/template week and getting some inspiration for reusing your sketches and digital layered templates!

 

Today, I'll present some ideas for creating different layouts by resizing and rotating elements of the sketch/template. Most sketches/templates can have their design structure altered by resizing or rotating some or all of the design elements, whether they have one photo or many. By changing the size or angle of one or more objects on the page while staying true to the remaining design elements, you can easily create different layouts from the same sketch/template.

 

I'm using a sketch from April to show some of the options for resizing and rotating. Download the layered digital template here to play along!

 

Resizing and Rotating Elements

From the original sketch, you can make the following changes simply by resizing or rotating elements of the design. 

 

1. Shrink all of the page elements. In Photoshop Elements in the Layers Palette, select all of the  layers except the background layer by clicking on the layer just above the background layer, holding down the shift key and clicking on the top layer. This allows you to select all of the layers in between without having to click on them individually. With all of the layers selected, click on the chain icon to link the layers to keep them in their relative positions as you resize them. Then, click and drag the corner handle of the selected layers to shrink them to your liking.
2. Enlarge all of the page elements. Follow the same steps as above, but increase the size of all of the elements instead of shrinking them. Some may even extend off of the page.
3. Shrink (or enlarge) some of the page elements. Select the page elements you wish to shrink by clicking on each of the elements on the layout while holding the shift key. You could also select them by holding down the CTRL key while clicking on the layers in the Layers Palette. Once you've selected your desired layers, decrease the size by clicking on the corner handle and dragging it inward until you are happy with the size. In my example, I chose the shrink the photos, the arrows near the photo and the triangle in the upper left corner. I kept the paper strips the same size.
4. Change the photo size or proportion. Sometimes, the shape of the photo spot does not work well with your desired photo; it may be too square or not square enough. In this case, changing up the template is as simple as changing the photo size. For this technique, you are changing the aspect ratio of the photo spot. Select the photo layer and resize by clicking and dragging the appropriate corner or side handles. Tip: this works best with photo spots that are not tilted. If the photo spot is tilted, dragging the corner handles will result in a skewed rectangle that is not squared-off in the corners.
5. Change the photo orientation. Select the photo layer, click on one of the side handles and drag outward to make the photo landscape rather than portrait (or vice versa). You may also need to drag the top handle down to get the right aspect ratio. Frames and elements surrounding the photo will need to be moved or resized too. Free rotate the photo (along with any photo mat or frame) by clicking on one of the corner handles and free rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise. You can achieve several different looks depending on which direction you rotate the layer and how much you rotate it. If there is more than one photo, you can rotate one or all of them, and in varying directions.
6. Free rotate the page elements. Select all of the page elements except the background, click on one of the corner handles and free rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise. You can achieve several different looks depending on which direction you rotate the layers and how much you rotate them.
7. Combine resizing or rotating the page elements with the ideas from previous days, such as flipping or rotating the template, using paper in one or more photo spots filling one or more of the photo spots with journaling or changing the weight or balance of the page. See the post here, here and here for additional ideas.

 

Here are a few examples using the above sketch/template.

Diane shrunk down the arrow element on the left side and also only used one photo. I love her soft color pallette, flair and enamel dots - simple yet impactful!

 

In her layout, Lisa changed the size of her photo, spreading one landscrape photo across the spots for two portrait photos.

 

Marnie put her spin on the design by changing the orientation of both photos, stacking them on top of each other.

 

 

By resizing or rotating the page elements of the design while preserving their relative positions, you can achieve several different looks and still maintain the basic design structure of the original sketch/template. Customizing the page elements allows them to better fit your photos or the mood of the page. Whether you resize or rotate some or all of the page elements, the basic design will still shine through and help you create a fabulous layout. Consider the potential to modify a template and reuse it!

 Happy Scrapping!

Get More from Your Sketches and Templates {Day 3}

Happy Wednesday! It's Hump Day - that mid-week peak as we cruise downhill into the weekend! As the passage of Wednesday signifies a shift in the focus of your week and you start looking forward to the weekend (I know I do!), I thought it would be a great day to talk about shifting the focus, weight or balance of your sketches or digital layered templates.

 

Many sketches/templates have a design structure that lends itself well to this technique, especially those with the photos and elements aligned along the middle or one side, as well as those with the photos and elements clustered in a corner. By changing the balance of objects on the page while staying true to the original design elements, you can create a seemingly very different layout from the same sketch/template.

 

Today I'm using a sketch from March to illustrate some of the options. Download the layered digital template here.

This design has the bulk of the page elements located at the middle to bottom right, with some strips across the top, again with the bulk of elements to the right side, to provide balance. The title placement to the left provides some visual weight, while still leaving plenty of white space for the eye to rest.

 

Changing the Weight or Balance

From the original sketch/template, you can make the following changes simply by moving around the design elements.

 

1. Move all of the page elements to the top. For digital scrapbookers, in Photoshop Elements in the Layers Palette, select all of the main layers except the background layer by clicking on the layer just above the background layer, holding down the shift key and clicking on the top layer. This allows you to select all of the layers in between without having to click on them individually. With all of the layers selected, click on the chain icon to link the layers to keep them in their relative positions as you move them. Then, click and drag the selected layers so they are positioned at the top of the page, leaving plenty of white space at the bottom of the layout.
2. Move all of the page elements to the bottom. Follow the same steps as above, but move the elements to the bottom leaving the top half of the page as white space. 
3. Move all of the page elements to the right. Select all of the page elements and move them to the right side. You can even move some of the elements off of the page so that the weight of the page is distinctly to the right. Some of the elements may need to be hidden or deleted if they are partially off the page.
4. Move all of the page elements to the left. As in the previous idea, select all of the page elements, but move them to the left side. Again, some of the elements can be moved off of the page and hidden or deleted if they are partially visible and detracting from the design. In this example, the title would be shifted off of the page, so I moved it elsewhere in the cluster of photos, papers and elements.
5. Move all of the page elements to a corner. Select all of the page elements except the background and move them to the upper left, upper right, lower left or lower right corner. You can also rotate the page elements 90° clockwise or counterclockwise and then move to one of the corners. As above, some of the elements can be moved off of the page and hidden or deleted.
6. Rotate the page elements and move them to the side. Select all of the page elements except the background, rotate 90° (either clockwise or counterclockwise) and drag to the right or left side of the template. You can achieve several different looks depending on which direction you rotate the layers and to which side you shift the weight. The title may need to be adjusted depending on what orientation works best for your layout.
7. Combine shifting the weight or balance with the ideas from previous days, such as flipping or rotating the template, using paper in one or more photo spots or filling one or more of the photo spots with journaling. See the previous posts here or here for additional ideas.

 

Here are a few examples using the above sketch/template.

In her layout, Lisa shifted the page elements to the bottom. She also placed a journal card into one of the photo spots and used washi tape instead of papers - genius! 

 

Monika changed up the design by adding more weight to the top elements on the page and shifting just one of the photos down in the bottom grouping.

 

For my layout, I rotated the lower page elements to the left and then shifted them to the right side of the layout.

 

 

By changing the weight or balance of the template while preserving the relative positions of the page elements, you can achieve several different looks and still maintain the basic design structure of the original sketch/template. Whether you shift the weight to the top, bottom, side or corner, the basic design will still shine through and help you create a fabulous layout. Consider the potential to modify a sketch/template and reuse it before storing it away or (gasp!) deleting it. Join me tomorrow for more ideas!

 

Happy Scrapping!

Get More from Your Sketches and Templates {Day 2}

Welcome back to our quest this week to get more uses out of your sketches and digital layered templates! Today, I'm going to share some ideas for creating different layouts by rotating or flipping the sketch/template.

Many sketches/templates have a design structure that lends itself well to rotating, including those with the photos and elements aligned along the middle or one side, as well as those with the photos and elements clustered in a corner. By changing the orientation while staying true to the original design elements, you can achieve unique results while using a sketch/template multiple times.

 

Today I'm using a sketch from August to show some of the options for rotating. Download the layered digital template here.

 

Rotating or Flipping the Design

From the original sketch, you can make the following changes simply by rotating or flipping the design.

 

1. Rotate the template 90° to the left. If you're using the layered digital template in Photoshop Elements, select from the Main Menu Image>Rotate>90° Left. This will rotate all of the layers in the template. Most of the time, layers will translate well. However, a few layers, such as those with text or anything that might be hanging such as a tag, may need to be adjusted individually. In the example template, the tag with journaling and the die cut elements could be rotated, if desired. However, the title works well as-is. Individual layers can be rotated by first selecting the layer in the Layers Palette, then selecting Image>Rotate>Layer 90° Right (or Left).
2. Rotate the template 90° to the right. Follow the same steps as above, but choose right instead of left.
3. Rotate the template 180°. Select from the Main Menu Image>Rotate>180° to rotate all of the layers in the template. Again, some layers may need to be rotated independently so they are right-side-up. Select the layer (such as the title), the select Image>Rotate>Layer 180°. You could also freeform rotate the layer. Click on the corner handles with the Move tool selected, place the pointer just outside of the box until the curved arrows appear and finally click and drag as the layer rotates to your desired orientation.
4. Flip the entire template horizontal instead of rotating. To do this, select from the Main Menu Image>Rotate>Flip Horizontal. To flip individual layers, such as the title, select Image>Rotate>Flip Layer Horizontal (or Vertical).
5. Flip the entire template vertical by selecting Image>Rotate>Flip Vertical.
6. Combine rotating or flipping the template with the ideas from yesterday, such as using paper in one or more photo spots or removing or adding photos. See yesterday's post for more ideas.

 

Here are a few examples using the above sketch/template.

This layout by Stephanie Bryan rotates the design 90° right and shifts some of the embellishments (camera, tag) to balance the page.

 

LisaO combined ideas by also rotating the design 90° right and removing some of the photos spots and using that space for her journaling.

 

I rotated the design 180° to move the title and main embellishments above the photos. I moved the journaling to below the photos to provide a little more space for my story.

 

By rotating or flipping the entire sketch/template, you can preserve the basic design structure while achieving several different looks. Pairing this with a variety of colors schemes, patterned papers vs. solids, layout themes and photos from different time periods will also keep your layouts from looking too similar. Look back through your stash of sketches or templates with new eyes for ones you can use again (and again). Your old favorite may just become your new favorite!

 

Join me tomorrow as we continue to explore additional ways to get more out of your sketches and digital layered template stash by changing the weight or balance of the design.

 

Happy Scrapping!

Get More from Your Sketches and Templates {Day 1}

Happy Monday! Carey Bridges here, and I'm excited to spend the week with you sharing ideas to get more from your sketches and digital templates!

There's no doubt that sketches and digital layered templates are a must-have scrapbooking tool. Many scrapbookers don't start a layout without one. Even if you prefer to design your own pages, sketches or digital layered templates can provide a starting point when your mojo is gone, when you're in a hurry, or when you just want to focus on selecting the photos, pretty papers and embellishments rather than the basic design structure.

As much as we love sketches and templates, all too often we use them once, then file them away. You liked them enough to purchase or download them, why not get more than one use out them? Each day this week I'll share a different approach to get more out of your stash of sketches and digital layered templates by using them multiple times to achieve very different looks.

Follow the Basic Design

Today, I'll present some ideas for creating different layouts without changing the original structure or design of the sketch or template. By changing small things while staying true to the original design, you can achieve varied yet amazing results from the same sketch or template.

To illustrate, I'll use January's sketch as an example (download the digital layered template):

Add a photo as the background instead of paper. Amy Sorensen used a gorgeous scenery shot as her background:

Replace a journaling block with a paper. Jennie McGarvey used some fabulous vellum with gold dots in place of the long text block:

Add or remove page elements such as photos, paper and embellishments. Marnie added some patterned paper strips to the top of the long journaling block and also removed some of the embellishments:

Fill a journaling spot with a photo, as I did in the following layout. Note that I also replaced a photo spot with a cropped journal card with journaling.

 

Each of these examples still closely resemble the original sketch/template, but they each look quite different from one another.

Some additional ideas to try:

• Fill one or more of the paper or photo spots with digital word art or a pocket page card.

 

• Fill all the spots with photos - a great way to get more photos on your layout.

• Switch the placement of photos and papers.

 

• Fill a photo or paper spot with journaling. While many sketches or templates have spots designated for journaling, you can shift the focus or balance of the layouts by placing the journaling within one of the photo or paper spots.

 

• Place the title in one of the photo or paper spots. Instead of placing the title in the area designated by the sketch or template, or outside of the photo/paper cluster if a title spot is not indicated, you could place the title directly over one of the photo or paper spots. This can help shift the viewers' eyes to an important photo or help draw the eyes across the page.

• Fill some photo spots with paper, especially patterned paper.

• Replace thin paper strips with ribbon, bunting, stitching or border brushes.

• Use solid paper vs. patterned paper.

• Use black and white photos instead of color or use black and white photos with one photo in color.

• Go photoless! Fill all of the photo spots with paper, embellishments and/or journaling.

 

By simply changing the placement, number or style of your photos, or by substituting paper, ribbon or other embellishments, you can give a sketch or template a whole new look and feel without changing the layout or structure of the design. Make the template work for the number of photos you want to use to tell your story. Customize the amount of embellishments and papers used to support the story and to fit your own scrapbooking style.

I hope you'll look back through your stash of sketches and templates with new eyes for ones you can use again (and again). For more examples on using the same sketch/template in different ways, check out the monthy sketch post for January 2013. Find more great sketches right here at write.click scrapbook by clicking on the category sketches on the left sidebar. To learn more about using a layered digital template, check out this previous post.

Join me tomorrow as we continue to explore additional ways to get more out of your sketch and digital template stash!