Once a month learn how to use scrapbook sketches and adapt them to fit different styles, photo sizes, and themes. Sketches = endless scrapbooking ideas with little effort. Sketches do all the heavy lifting allowing you to have all the fun!
I really took advantage of that fun circle element with this layout!
Here's the sketch that I have used as the starting point for each layout this week:
You can also grab the Sketch Support #17 Bonus Sketch Examples!
This month it is a 3-page PDF of 22 different sketch options. That makes 23 sketches for this month of Sketch Support. There are options that show how to change up the papers, use more photos, use less photos, use only 4 x 6" photos, there are three one-page options, and then an 8-1/2 x 11" option. The fun part is that you could use each option as a layout on its own, but you could also mix and match different options for endless possibilities!
Supplies used - Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned paper: Simple Stories and Crate Paper; Snowflake punches: unknown; Stickers, chipboard, die cuts, and enamel dots: Simple Stories; Embroidery floss: DMC; Computer font: Century Gothic
Variation #1 - Removing photos.
With this set of photos I had exactly what you see on the layout - one 6 x 4" photo, four 3 x 4" photos, and three 2 x 2" photos.
It was kind of an odd combination of photos. Sometimes when I'm doing a bulk print of my photos I have a layout design in mind, but then the time passes and when I actually scrapbook with those photos I don't remember what I was planning or why I printed the photos in the sizes I did. A much more organized person would probably take notes and sketch out the design. But, honestly it doesn't ever bother me because I like taking the "making it work" approach, no matter what is in front of me.
Because I really liked these photos and the idea of focusing solely on the circle design, I decided to make it work AND making it work, both in design and photo size availability, meant removing those three 6 x 4" photos on the right page.
Variation #2 - Extending the circle design & adding more photos.
On the sketch there are three 4 x 4" photos within that circle design. I ended up using five photos instead. Luckily I had five photos that could equally balance on both pages. I have a 3 x 4" and 6 x 4" photo on the left page that equals a 9" width and then on the left page I have three 3 x 4" photos which also equals a 9" width.
I arranged them as you see on the sketch and extended the circle/snowflake design to the edges of the photos.
Variation #3 - Changing the circles to fit my theme.
I really liked the idea of adapting those circles into a themed element to support the theme of my layout. You could do this with so many different themes and shapes. Things like:
• hearts
• basketballs (or any other sports ball)
• Christmas trees
• anchors
• Easter eggs
• spider webs
• pumpkins
• leaves
• cars
• paw prints
• letters or words
• fireworks
• flowers
And, that's just a few! You could adapt the circles into any theme!
I had two different sizes of snowflake punches that are the same design. I used the larger one as the base design. It's a bit larger than the 1" circles on the sketch, but the design still follows the basic concept of that circle arrangement, just with fewer snowflakes.
To add some detail to the snowflakes I added a center piece to each one. I used enamel dots, stickers, chipboard pieces, smaller punched snowflakes, and jewels. I also added some hand-stitching on a few.
Variation #4 - Adding a large background piece.
The layout felt a little plain to me with just the snowflakes. There's enough spacing between each one that it really leaves a lot of openings throughout the design. I had this really pretty wooden dotted paper that helped fill in that area while also allowing the snowflakes to stand out.
Variation #5 - Moving the embellishments.
Since I removed the 6 x 4" photos, I took away the placement for my embellishments, plus I had a few more small photos I wanted to include.
With the title and photo on the top left edge of the row of photos, I thought adding the rest of my embellishments and photos in the bottom right edge of the row of photos would be a good balance.
Variation #6 - Moving the journaling.
With the snowflakes being bigger than the circles on the sketch, I tried to not cover to them, or at least cover them as little as possible. Because of that I decided to put my journaling on the bottom right of the photos. It was the perfect fit!
That's all for today! Check back tomorrow for the last layout of the week!
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