Hi everyone.  Heather Leopard is here and I’m sharing a few scrapbooking tips & tricks, and a process video with you today. Some of these tips were part of my scrapbooking newbie “go-to” arsenal when I first started scrapbooking and others are still my tried and true essentials today.  All of it is manifested in the process video below for this cutest pumpkin in the patch layout I did.

Okay, let’s dive right into the tips and tricks I used for this layout…

Tip #1

Courtesy of Rogers Gardens

CHALLENGES: The photo above relates to a current challenge here at Pebbles…many online groups and scrapbooking companies create challenges every month.  These are great ways to help you focus on what to create.  I find that I just have WAY too many photos to scrap so searching for “scrapbooking challenges” or terms along those lines are sure to uncover something that will inspire you. The bonus is that there’s usually some contest and reward.  Sometimes it’s a gift card, sometimes a kit, sometimes it’s just the glory.  For example, Pebbles is currently hosting a “pumpkin-inspired” project challenge.  I took that challenge on and created the layout above. The current challenge is to create something pumpkin inspired so it can be a project, a card, a layout, whatever! Head over there to see the details.

Tip #2

SKETCHES: Many people turn to sketches for inspiration.  A sketch is like a recipe for scrapbooking.  It doesn’t necessarily tell you how many of this or that or provide measurements but it’s a visual diagram of a layout. Some people choose to follow sketches exactly, while others use it as a jumping off point for their layout, meaning they see something in the sketch that inspires them and may only follow part of the sketch for their design. There’s really no rules for sketches.  There are many sketch sites out there. Just Google scrapbooking sketches and you’re sure to come up with many options.  I also have sketches of my projects, which can be found HERE ON MY BLOG.

Tip#3

SCRAPLIFT someone: Visit scrapbook company blogs, your favorite designer’s blog, Instagram, YouTube, wherever find inspiration and choose a layout that you think suits your photos.  Like sketches, you can scraplift exactly like the original or use it as a jumping off point and take it whichever direction you choose. I see scraplifting as a form of compliment and if you post it online, it’s always courtesy to list the person who inspired you!  If you can tag that person, they are sure to see what you did and leave you all sorts of wonderful feedback. The layout above was part of a collaboration I did with Christine Meyer, where we scraplifted each other.  I did not scraplift exactly like hers.  Instead, I chose two elements of her design – she had a small amount of the buffalo check and a circular floral design.  You can see her original layout in the process video below.

Tip #4

DESIGN: Whenever possible, I like to use a visual triangle design for my scrapbooking layouts. This helps guide the eye around the page to the important things you want to call out and can be easily accomplished by looking at the layout as having 3 anchor points.  These anchor points usually have the same colors and many of the same elements.  In the photo above, I have the photo at the top right (most important element), the pumpkin at the bottom and the floral cluster at the top left.  Notice that the same colors are used but also the same flowers are the one thing that is the same in each of these areas.  The triangle doesn’t have to have equal sides and things can be placed lower or higher or over more but just having a general triangle in the design should help with the flow of the layout.

Tip#5

SUPPLIES: I like to make a kit for each of my projects.  The easiest way to do this is to gather 6 – 7 patterned papers, 1 – 2 cardstock papers, alphas, die cuts, chipboard and stickers.  You can add additional embellishments, such as ribbon, washi, twine, enamel dots, etc. I like to print my photo and then make a kit using supplies that coordinate well with my photo. Or if you really want to use a certain color scheme and your photo doesn’t match, print it in black and white. Creating kits before you start creating really helps you focus and speeds the scrapbooking process tremendously. Knowing what you have to work with also helps remove the design clutter in your head.  Once you have the kit, you have everything at you fingertips. I used the Pebbles Spooky Boo and My Bright Life collections for this kit and layout.

Watch my Process Video to see how I used these scrapbooking tips and tricks for this layout.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG05_EtW_ig]

xoxo, Heather
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Supplies:
Spooky Boo 12″ x 12″ Paper Pad
Spooky Book Cardstock Stickers
Spooky Boo Thickers
My Bright Life Field of Flowers Patterned Paper
My Bright Life Stitched Flowers Patterned Paper