'Bout Time!

Yes, yes... I know!  It's about time I put up a new post!  While my mind is always dreaming up new layouts for my scrapbooking endeavors, unfortunately Father Time doesn't always cooperate!  The one thing I have found by creating this blog and branching out into creating sketches is that following a sketch, saves a ton of time!  If I plan out what I am going to do, before I sit down with my heaps of paper, boxes of embellishments, rolls of ribbons and everything other thing that finds its way into my scrapbooking doman as some piece of inspiration, I find I am more focused on the task at hand.

To that end, I have created another sketch.  It is relatively simple, but oh! the things you can do with simplicity!

Sketch #4

This sketch has some simple stitching and simple strips of coordinating paper.  The "WOW!" factor comes from how you embellish it.  For instance, in the layout below, I embellished using a ruffle ribbon, instead of the strip of paper going through the middle of the horizontal strips, and used a double-mat for the photo.  I finished the layout with lots of flowers and rhinestone flourishes (I love Bling!).

Caitlin at Six

Oh, but this is so "girly" you say (you did! I heard you!), well, here is the same layout, reversed, using no flowers or bling (ok, some matching stickles, but no rhinestones) and some buttons.

Messy Eater

I used a stitching template with a little more detail, punched stars of two different sizes and shapes, added buttons for dimension, as well as used foam squares to pop some of the stars, so they weren't all flat.  The dark teal stars have the new stickles color "Lagoon" around the edge, while the other stars are defined using a thin marker of a coordinating color.  I also created a little interest in the teal strip of paper, by adding a series of 3 dots of Lagoon stickles across the strip.

I hope you find the time to try this sketch - or create your own!  Remember, having a "map" to follow, saves you time and helps to keep you from getting lost or bogged down in your own creativity!  Until next time, go crop yourself!