Journaling: This photos isn’t the best quality. Your preschool took it with an inexpensive camera. But they caught you in a moment I don’t want to lose. It is that moment when something goes your way and you pump your fists and exhale a breathy but pronounced “Yes!”
I love it when you do that. It can come as esily as me giving you permission (because you ask) to sleep in the car. (yes!)
In this case your exuberant “Yes!” exploded because Santa poppped in on your school. This is your reaction to seeing him. Yes!!
I actually picked the green patterned paper and the black and grey cardstock because they were already sitting on my desk, leftover from previous projects. It had been a week since scrapbooking a new page so it was like when my blood sugar plunges and I start grabbing whatever food is in sight.
The truth is, though, I had set the photo on my pile of mess and that green paper was on top. I liked the idea of the two together because the paper reminds me of cool teen boy shirts and Aiden’s “Yes!” seems like a “big boy” thing to do. Then I grabbed the black and grey that was already sitting there.
As I was moving around the papers and adding new colors I began to see a use for the design concepts of light and dark. Our eyes naturally gravitate toward the light. I nestled Aiden into a darkest spot on my “canvas” (the black matte) and focused light colored papers around him, as if pointing toward him. This works especially well with this particular photo because Aiden’s face is in the sun while there are shadows all around him.
I added just a tiny spot of that light cream color (the letter “a”) in the top left corner for balance (a visual triangle). I noticed at first when I tried to put a square of the cream colored paper up there that it was too much and it pulled the attention up that way sooner than I wanted. Using only that slight amount in the letter balances it without attracting attention.
Another issue I ran into was that my journaling ended up taking more space than I had planned. Originally I wrote all of it on ine piece of cream-colored paper. When I laid the journaling on the page it was too much and actually detracted from the photo, bring your gaze down toward the bottom. By splitting the journaling into three sections and replacing the last section with a darker color (light blue) I was able to create the effect of the cream-colored paper leading the eye to Aiden instead ot to itself.
Remember, though, the cream-colored tab on top was necessary for keeping Aiden the center of focus. Even with the change in paper for the journaling, without the tab on top, the journaling block would have stolen the show.
The bold red “YES!” keeps our eyes in place on Aiden as well.
Products:
This layout is for Ali Edward’s newsletter challenge about products: “This week I want you to take a look at those “extras” that are truly delighting you right now and making you want to create. Make a list and then CREATE a layout that details your favorites.”
Okay, so I didn’t detail my favorites, but I focused on using them. My favorite delight-inducing extras right now are paint, patterned paper, and products that enhance my journaling.
I love paint because it adds a personal touch that my own hand created. It makes it totally mine.
I love mixing patterns and this layout has 5 different patterned papers, plus two patterned ribbons. (The red is patterned).
I love-love-love journaling and I have been collecting patterned paper that is easy for me to journal on. I love that cream-colored graph paper I used with the dotted circles on it. I love the jouraling spot above Aiden’s head. That was fun! For whatever reason, flower embellishments rarely feel like me, so I like that I can use these other products as embellishments instead.
Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned papers: Basic Grey, Creative Memories, Scenic Route Co. and source unknown for the red (maybe Slab?)
Journaling spot and chipboard letter: Heidi Swapp for Advantus
Stamped Alphas and Ink: Stampin’ Up
Rub-on’s and wordstrip: 7 Gypsies
Alpha sticker: Creative Memories
Ribbon: Urban Window for We R Memory Keepers
Paint: Grumbacher
