September 24, 2009

Insider Tips...



Do you always print out your photos before you begin a layout? To be honest, sometimes I don't. Probably about 30% of the time, I start with the design (laying out the papers & embellishments). Then I like to figure out where and how the photos would fit best into my design. In the layout above, I knew I wanted to use that SC text paper, but I also knew that with my clean style that I couldn't have it be too overwhelming. That's where the torn paper came in giving just a "peek" of the text paper. Those Sassafrass hot air balloons were just begging to be handcut and I had this idea for a layout as soon as I saw them.

Now, I'm definitely a jump right in & start cutting kind of girl. I don't like to hem haw around too much about where things will go or panic about only having one sheet of a certain paper. I know that makes a lot of scrapbookers uncomfortable, but I always figure I'll just try and make it work one way or another. :) After I cut those balloons out and used pop dots to adhere them and added some other details to the layout, I was ready to add the photos. Most of the time if I have 3 photos I want to use, I will print them out in a smaller wallet size. This time I wanted to balance out the balloons and knew that regular rectangular photos weren't going to work here. That's when I decided to make the photos into circles. I think it adds a neat look to this layout and lends something that regular photos wouldn't have. After I adhered the circular photos, I finished it off with little bits of the text paper to balance the two sides.

If you always start scrapping with photos already printed and in hand, I totally recommend switching it up from time to time and starting with the design first. You might be surprised what you come up with! If you give it a try, be sure to link here so I can see! It's almost the weekend...yay! :)

6 comments:

Carol B said...

actually seems to be more 'organised' to plan the LO then get the photos printed to fit(?)
I've been so lazy at times, I've cropped and printed photos randomly, then had to figure out a layout to fit! (not the best!)
:-)

Dave said...

this is adorable!

{VICKI} said...

I have never started with a design first. Maybe I'll give it a try.

sylvie said...

I definetely don't think I could work this reverse way, I always prefer to choose the pictures I want to scrap and then figure out a design and papers after. But I really admire that you can do it the opposite way. TFS

Tiffany Heilman said...

Love this layout. The circles are a great idea. I would probably never finish a layout if I did everything and then waited for the pictures.It seems like a great idea though!

Linda Sobolewski said...

Kelly, I just love reading how your scrappy mind works! Great idea to do the design first!
Linda xo