A few questions for you

Dawn, a fellow class mate in "Finding Your Way" posted some questions for people on the boards to answer if they wanted, just for fun. I gave it a ago, did some thinking and here is my responses:

1. Which lesson do you think helped you the most and why?
Oh this one is very hard! Can I do a list as there was not one thing! My two main ones are:

• What scrapbooking supplies I do use. That I go for three shades of blue, red and green for my background colours, that I only like to use black titles and I do use a lot of flowers - these made me identify what I do need to spend my money on.
• That there are several different ways you can add journaling to your layouts and that you dont just have to use one, dependant on the story you can use different ideas.

2. If you could've only picked one lesson this whole time what would it have been and why?
Actually looking at my layouts and understanding the common themes (with the help of others on the boards) and a light bulb realisation that these observations were true. This big step really helped me to embrace everything else I have learnt and feel more comfortable with trying new things.

3. Which lesson do you need to go back over and try something new from it or just reread it?
I think there are several lessons I would go over. The only ones I know I have discovered what I like, and feel I have finished them is the size of photos you use and preference to what you scrap and the size you scrapbook in.

4. If you could add one more lesson that's not here what would it be?
I think that I would incorporate "Embrace Imperfection" or highlight that the "Finding Your Way" class is phase two as they followed on so well from each other, and "Embrace Imperfection" that I completed right before this class really helped me get nto the right frame of mind.

From what I have learnt here I need to continue to progress my style and understand how I can get inspired by other peoples layouts and how to use them/ incorporate them within my layouts in my style. I am therefore signing up for the sketch class on here hoping that I can progress this.

5. Which lesson surprised you?
That in fact I am a 6x4 single photo layout girl with a preference for single 12x12. Before this I always thought I liked to scrapbook multiple photos on a page or do a double page but how wrong I was! I have series of photos with a story behind them and am now trying to get comfortable with creating a layout using them a single layout with 1 photo will not work.

All in all I have learnt so much about what scrapbooking is for me and my style that it just blows me away when I sit down and think of everything! A great class.

Still Got Problems

Despite learning from Finding Your Way I still have a few problem areas. 

• Journaling placement, method and style.
• Where should my journaling go on the layout?
• Should I write the journaling or type it up?
• Should I put it on a block on the layout? Strips? Dotted around?
• Chossing the patterned paper to use. Both what I already have in stock and buying new from the internet.
• Experimenting and trying new things.

How is Your Tool Box Coming?

Tool Box? It was a term used at the end of “Finding Your Way” for you to compile the core items you use together on your layouts and would need to take with you to a crop.

Tools: Trimmer, journaling pen and ruler, pencil, pencil sharpener and eraser, safety ruler and craft knife, pokey tool, scissors.

Core cardstock colours have been identified from my stash, just need to see what colours they actually match to with the manufactures so I can order more.

Embellishments: Flowers, Brads, Paper Trim/Lace.

Ink Pads: Black, Brown

Punches: Corner rounder, scallop border punch

Trip Wire

Despite there being multiple photos for this layout I knew that this time due to the size of the main images I wanted to use that a single layout could accommodate them, the title and journaling. I was however stumped on how to place these photos and had to turn to a sketch to assist me (Sorry I did not make note of where I got the sketch from so am unable to refernce its origin).

I had problems with the placement of the photos, not sure if that is because of the size, not sure how I was going to do the journaling or fitting it in or following a sketch. Think I still have major problems with where and how to journal on my layouts. I do not like my hand writing but then on the other hand apart from the lengthy story layout I did not like typed journaling!

Lessons Learnt

1. Sketches are a good idea for inspiration but once they have given you the idea put them away so that you do not get trapped into the need to follow it exactly
2. Using foam pads to lift the main photo does help to highlight it.

You are the best wrapper in town

Another topic I wanted to scrapbook for some time. As there was a story which I could tell through each photo I decided to try the small journaling prompts typing them on the computer.

This layout took me ages to do. Firstly I could not get my head around how to place the photos, journaling and titles onto one page. Then when I had figured out how I wanted to “anchor” my photos to the page it took me a while to be happy with the size and arrangement.

I took a photo of the layout once I was happy and before I disassembled so that I had a picture of the “finished” layout. That and using a pencil to mark corners of paper definitely helped in creating it again. I did not think however of which layer was the first layer etc and stick them down in accordance which did cause a few problems.

Then of course my new love of experimenting with sewing had me trying out sewing around the edges of the strips of paper instead of inking them. It did work and gave texture to the layout – I considered it my “embellishment”. But because I did this story on a single layout the majority of  my hard work of stitching got covered up.

After I had done the page I had to ask myself “Why did you not do this as a double layout?” I had engrained in myself that I was a single layout scrapbooker that the thought of doing a double page layout did not even enter my head. This is a shame as the end result to me looks too clinical/report/display like and to my eye looks too cramped.

 Lessons Learnt

1. You can do double layouts, especially when you have many photos with journaling too.
2. Stitching is a good thing and does add texture and interest to a layout but sometimes it can be an over kill.
3. A long statement title which connects to the photos is good as it relates to the photos and tells the story without the person having to then read all of the journaling attached to it.

What are your “Don’t Use Embellishments”

I like using a variety of embellishments but the two which spring to mind I own but don't really use are stickers and metal words or letters. (After nearly 6 years I finally used a metal word on my together layout!)

An ‘embellishment’ I have not used is this "mist", something I do not own, I have not seen in real life to know if it is something I must have, or if I will like the effect on my own layouts.

Working Clothes

There was a reasonably long story to tell with this photo which I had put off doing as I was not sure the best way to go about it. My mind set was stuck on the need to do layouts with mainly journaling on 8.5x11 size paper. Finally the penny dropped that this was not the case.

I typed the story up which enabled the story to be told in a smaller space than if it had been hand written. Though I still had to cut the photos down I was able to fit everything across the page. The end result I am happy with – it tells the story, is clean/not fussy, but still pleasing to the eye.

 Lessons Learnt

1. Typing journaling means you can get more into a smaller space. Especially good if you have a long story to tell. 
2. You can do a mainly journaling layout using 12x12 paper and it does work and it does not mean that the whole page is covered in text – you can still have white space on the page.

Where do I get my embellishments from?

I tend to buy my embellishments separately from those designed specifically to go with the paper lines as the selection available may have improved the prices are definitely too high for my budget. (I’d prefer, if I had the money to spend, on purchasing cardstock or patterned paper.)

If I buy embellishments I tend to go for either neutral colours or colours which I know I will use mainly blue and greens, utilising sales to may be get some colours which I do not use a great deal (i.e. pink). However with all the discoveries about my scrapbooking style and the colours I like I know that my colour range has to expand when I next buy embellishments.

The main embellishments I do buy are brads and flowers and are rarely from brands. They tend to be Docrafts (a UK craft supplier) or a scrapbooking online stores own lines.

Making My own Flowers

I got these instructions from a “professional” scrapbooker whom gives fantastic instructions on how to do various things. Unfortunately I can not remember that persons name so I apologise I can not link you to her website. I have therefore listed the steps I obtained from her blog and followed to make my flowers for the “Wimpey” layout.

                

1.  I cut out circles of various sizes from patterned paper.
2. As I used my Sizzix machines circle die I ended up with four different size circles.
1. I used double sided patterned paper from different ranges which coordinated together. This gave me more options on the combination of the style of each flower.
2. To create the petals I cut each circle into 8th, making sure that each cut DID NOT go down to the centre point of the circle.
3. I mixed up the different size circles, using one for the main flower and the other as the centre flower.
4. I used a pencil to curl the leaves to add dimension to each flower.

 I took a lesson learnt in my Decorate Life class and combined different styles and colours of brads to make the centre of the flowers.

I was really pleased with the results and a trick I am going to use in the future.

Wimpey

It was a surprise to find a Wimpey when I we were on holiday in the Isle of Wight and visiting there made me think of all of the differences there was between a MacDonalds. This layout was to highlight what these were.

The journaling spots around the layout were good for the points I wanted to make, would use them again but only if I was telling a story in a similar short sentence/point way, copying Karen's method of journaliing.

The flowers I made by punching circles from patterned paper – some which I had used as part of the back ground and some co-ordinating patterned paper. I got this idea from a "expert" scrapbooker but I apologise that I can not remember the scrapbookers name. I took a lesson learnt in my Decorate Life class and combined different styles and colours of brads to make the centre of the flowers.

Over all am happy with the layout. Only thing I may do differently in the future was to mat the photo to make it stand out more.

 Lessons Learnt

1. You can create your own flowers using different six circles.
2. Mixing colours, sizes and styles of brads can look effective
3. Sometimes you need to mat a photo to make it pop off the page
4. You can mix different makes and patterns of paper together and it still looks good.Sometimes the title is in the photo already.

Paws

I have always loved Max’s paws, not sure why but I have always been drawn to them. This layout shows my love of his paws and the words which I associate with them.

Used the dymo junior machine to create the words, L’ill Davies Cleveland Stamps (I think) to create the title, rub-ons from WHSmiths for the “I love your” text. There was no need for any more journaling the title and key words were enough. The cardstock behind the photo just anchored the photo to the page. I did try it without anything behind it but it just looked wrong

 Lessons Learnt

1. I need something to anchor the photo to the page – coloured cardstock or patterned paper.
2. Sometimes using just key words does work, but I think I would only be happy with this if I had a sentence title.
3. Stitching around the layout brings the eyes to the centre.

Journaling is my problem

Through getting to problems of disliking my layouts one of the areas which I have identified as a problem were journaling and the way I tackled it on my layouts. Journaling is a key part of layouts and scrapbooking as a whole so not only does a layout have to have some sort of journaling on it, it also needs to be visible. Thanks to everyone whom has helped me this week on this topic. It has made me do a lot of thinking, and I have learnt:

1. I do not have to use only handwriting or only typed journaling.
2. I can use a combination. 
3. Not all layouts have to have lots of journaling. 
4. Layouts can be just as meaningful and record a topic with only a small amount of journaling. 
5. There are lots of different ways I can include journaling on my layouts and it still be visible. It does not need to be just in a block. 
6. There are different options available on how I can use typed journaling on my layouts.

Experimenting with points 4 and 5, while remembering points 1-3 is going to be one of the challenges I am going to set myself over the next few weeks.

Sales over the years

The journaling on this layout caused me all sorts of problems. Initially I did the journaling by hand – the way I normally do but to me it did not look right and was just a mess. This is the layout:

 I then redid the layout using the computer for the title and the journaling. It looked so much neater, clearer and easier to read.

 I do think it looks better with the typed journaling however I still do not like the layout. (It’s just a bit better).

There are a few layouts that I have in my album which are really heavy on journaling which follow a similar layout to the sales one with typed journaling. So I guess that where I have a lot of journaling I am just going to have to say hey ho lets get the story typed and on the page and forget that you don’t like the look of it

Lessons Learnt:

1. I like stitching around the edge of layouts as a frame.
2. Sometimes using a grid pattern for photos and journaling with minimum embellishments does work
3. Only using three colours, using photos to help you to pick the colours you use can work.

Together

I wanted to capture a small fact about my parent’s relationship, a sentence and the photo was enough.

Had to play around with the placement of the swirls – I traced chipboard shapes onto paper, used foam pads to create the height on the layout and Anita’s 3D glue to give it a glossy image. Had to play around a bit before I was happy with the placement of the swirls. The metal “together” word has been in my stash since I nearly started scrapbooking so it was great to finally find a layout to use it on.

What colour cardstock do I use?

I realised when I was going through my past LOs that the colours I use to scrapbook with are similar to the colours I use in home decor and clothes. And the reason why I used them was they were my "safe" colours.

I would definitely go through some of your LOs to see what colours you have used in the past. Then go through your PP to see what you have previously bought and if it still "speaks to you". Use this to try different combinations and identify the colours you like.

I am now playing around with what I would term "not so safe" items. That is brighter colours and patterns I may of shyed away from using before. You know you buy the paper because you like the look of it but when you come to use it to scrapbook with it totally scares you! Those are the products I am going to try to use- try being the main word LOL.