Incorporating the theme of the layout into the design has been something I have always turned to when creating layouts. I love finding ways to really enhance the theme and create custom elements to go with that theme.
On this layout about Jackson opening his presents at his first birthday party, I included two different design elements to go with the theme.
The first is the square background piece. Instead of having just a simple square, I turned it into a present by adding some strips and some bakers twine in a bow.
Background pieces like this square can easily turn into themed elements with just a little bit of imagination. Here are a few examples and ideas:
• a TV screen
• an aquarium
• a chalkboard
• a sunburst
• a pumpkin
• a big spider web
• a Christmas present
• a Christmas ornament
• your country's flag
• a large quote
• an exploding firework
You could also turn a background piece into a scene like:
• grass and flowers with clouds and the sun
• mountains along the bottom with the sky at the top
• outer space
• waves and fish at the bottom with the sky at the top
• cars and trucks driving along the bottom with the sky at the top
• cities or house along the bottom with the sky at the top
• Easter eggs hidden in the grass
The second thing I customized to my theme are the strips. Instead of using plain vertical strips, I turned them into birthday candles. Doing this was super easy too! I just added a circle for the flame at the top of each strips. Some of theme have a little stitching too for extra detail and texture.
I love swapping out regular strips for themed strips! There are so many different themes you can play around with for this idea! Here are a few examples:
• surf boards
• flowers with stems
• test tubes
• fireworks shooting into the air
• hanging ornaments
• falling leaves
• falling snowflakes
• arrows
• spiders dropping down from a web
• wooden planks
• a fence
• boat oars
It's easy to use pre-made themed embellishments, but I challenge you to try creating some themed elements that incorporate into your design sometime! It's fun and to me, it's almost like a creative brain exercise, making myself dip into my imagination.
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