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 don't know if I have the adequate words to describe how much I enjoyed creating this layout. Waves, splashes, sunburst, and hearts combined all together in one design...it's like all my favorite things in one 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 #23 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: American Crafts; Patterned paper: Simple Stories; Foam "summer": Simple Stories; "Splash" word: Pebbles Inc.; Stickers: Simple Stories; Heart cut files: Sweet Afton from the Silhouette Design Store #310559; Splash cut files: Amy Robison from the Silhouette Design Store #83594; Wave cut file: Echo Park from the Silhouette Design Store #28688; Nuvo Jewel Drops in "Sea Breeze": Tonic Studios (SHOP HERE); Embroidery floss: DMC; Computer font: Avenir Next Condensed
Variation #1 - Turning the background in a themed scene.
I decided to create a fun water, sunshiny scene with that background design to go with my sunny day, water theme park photos. To do that I started with creating a sunburst background that covers the same area as the background on the sketch.
Creating sunbursts are much easier than they might look and this was especially easy for the left page because I used only one patterned paper for the whole design.
So how does that make it easier?
It made it easier because I didn't have to cut out each individual strip into separate pieces. I could keep the center of that paper intact by not cutting all the way to the center meeting point of the strips. This way I can adhere the strips as one whole piece and the center point is covered by the large heart so you don't see that it's uncut in the center.
The right page I couldn't do that since the meeting point of the strips is on the left page so it's a little more complicated. I'll demonstrate in the YouTube video that will be posted on Friday so you can see how it's done. You can also check out my sunburst tutorial and layout share on YouTube if you want to see how to create different sunburst designs like this.
To finish out the sunburst design I added stitching to fill in the gaps between the yellow patterned paper pieces.
The sunburst design helped me accomplish that sunny day I was looking for, but I also wanted to work in some fun water designs as well. If I had to pick a favorite theme to play around with it would definitely be water themes. I LOVE finding different ways to create waves and splashes, I could do it all day long and be as happy as can be.
For this layout I used my Silhouette to cut out the wave design on the left page and then designed a matching wave for the right page so it could continue across both pages.
I also added in several die cut splashes throughout the waves. This is probably the cut file I've used the most for water pages. I love those splashes and how you can group them together and use a wide range of sizes.
To complete the look I added a hand-stitched border on the waves and some of the splashes. I also added another patterned paper wave strip along the bottom. To add some detail to the splashes I also added some word/phrase stickers, puffy hearts, and some Nuvo Jewel Drop droplets.
Variation #2 - Using a large photo in place of the heart.
Occasionally when I come across a photo that I really love, one that really speaks to me as a great photo, I'll have it printed as an 8 x 10". I don't do this often, but sometimes you just come across the special photo that you know you want to do something big with. This photo was definitely one of those for me.
When I first started planning out layouts with this sketch, this set of photos immediately came to mind. I thought it would be so much fun to use a large heart shaped photo in place of the large heart background and the 4 x 6" focal photo.
Since my photo was an 8 x 10", it wasn't quite large enough to be the same size as the heart on the sketch, but I added a double mat to help get it a little closer to the same size. Plus that really made the heart shape stand out and bring attention to that photo.
Another fun idea for the heart would be to create a large heart shaped photo collage. To do that you would cut a heart out of cardstock, adhere your photos on top, and then cut the excess part of the photos that are hanging off the edges.
Variation #3 - Changing the arrangement of the 3 x 4" photos.
I decided to arrange my 3 x 4" photos tilted and overlapped instead of side by side and straight across the layout. I thought this was a simple way to add a more whimsical and fun look to the layout.
I also moved them down just a little. I liked the way they aligned with the heart and the waves better this way.
Variation #4 - Moving elements to better fit.
I moved the title above the 3 x 4" photos instead of placing it below like it is on the sketch. I didn't want the title to cover up too much of that wave design, plus I really liked the look of just having the splashes along the wave strip. There was plenty of space to add the title above the photos, especially since I had moved the photos down a little more than they are on the sketch.
That's all for day #3 of Sketch Support. Be sure to check back tomorrow for the last layout. Then on Friday I'll be posting the YouTube version.
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