Saturday, July 19, 2008
Question from Becky
I have a question. I look at all those beautiful layouts and they just seem to blow my mind. I would love to give them a try, but for the most part I am just not that experienced in the craft. I would love to make some of those layouts, but when I read the directions they overwhelm me and there I am just closing the book and sitting and thinking. What can you tell me about how I can get more experienced in this and learn to make my own great looking layouts???? Please pass along anything you got, I am more than willing to take any advice.
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2 comments:
Hi, Becky! In addition to being a KayDee DT member, stamper and scrapbooker, I'm a long-time educator. When I taught reading, I'd give my parents a bookmark that said: "10 ways to become a reader: 1. Read 2. read 3. READ 4. ReAd (well, you get the idea!). So to become a better scrapbooker? (Bet you can guess what to do - scrap, scrap, scrap!).
I've been scrapbooking for myself and others for over 15 years now (wow!). You get better at it the more you do it - it's almost painful not to go back and redo some of my early attempts - but it isn't the perfection (or lack of) that *makes* those pages - it's the recording of the sentiments, thoughts, happenings, who was there and why, and the preservation of the photos and memories for me, that's what makes it perfect (even if the methodology was questionable :).
Some thoughts that may help you, though, would be to think about WHY you like a certain layout - is it the color combo? Is it a certain embellishment? Think about what YOUR personal style is... look at your house and closet for a clue! Are you traditional, country, ultra modern, eclectic (that would be me - this, that and the other, with a little traditional thrown in for good measure!)... Do you like ribbon, metal embellishments?
An easy way to use some of those things that draw you to a certain layout would be to use sketches, or blueprints...in fact, a recent Design Team challenge was to do a layout based on a sketch. If you look at these when they are posted, you'll see what a variety of things can be created from ONE idea. There are tons of sites on the web with blueprints or scrapbooking sketches.
Summing it up as briefly as I can (I know - TOO LATE!) - find a blueprint (sketch) you like in a scrapbook magazine, or website (http://pagemaps.com/aug08maps.htm for example). Glance at the 6th one down on that link. You need 3 or 4 3.25x4.5 inch photos, and one 5.5x6 inch photo that go together. Select 2-3 pieces of patterned (or designer) papers that complement one another and go with the photos, and 2 pieces of cardstock for the base. Grab a couple of pieces of ribbon and an embellishment that go with the whole...
I know - your head may be spinning - but take it ONE step at a time... we learn to walk with baby steps, and scrapping or any other art is done the same way for most of us... one step, then another. I challenge you to try this - and then share it with us - share it with me personally if you'd rather at nancykayk@aol.com!
Hi Becky,
Take it one page at a time. If you need ideas, look at the internet. I do a search for Scrapbooking Layouts in the images and they all just pop up. I also narrow it by saying school day scrapbooking layouts and up come the pics. Another thing I do is sketches. I love sketches!
Remember the more you do this the more "Talent" you get! Personally the first layouts I did I absolutley think are awful. I had no rhyme or reason for the picture choices. I mean one layout I have about 5 diff pics of 5 diff events but they were of the same person! Anyway I learned to group my pics according to the event or happening and then scrap them up in series.
As for the techniques I learned a lot by joining swaps and trying a idea and then seeing what I get back from others. Its amazing how much you learn from everyone else.
No matter what the idea is to scrap the pictures, tell about the event and the people in it and then move on to the next one. Believe me when you look back at them you will be happy with them. Not to mention the compliments of you talents you receive from others who look at your book!
Well take care and remember not to fret to much over the little things. It really is about getting your picture in a safe place that they will last forever!
Remember you can always look for ideas here from the Design Team. Questions are always welcome!
Happy Scrapping
Debbie
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