…while traipsing about other people’s blogs. It belongs to Liz Ness and she gave me permission to showcase it here on Paperclipping.

I love pulling multiple photos together the way Liz did because you can design the page as if it is a one-photo layout. In fact, I recently created a layout with a very similar design and similar colors. But I like Liz’s better.

Let me highlight a few things that make her page work.

Liz gathered all the photos into one block. No worries that the middle photo had to overlap with the left one. The result is that it pops out as the focal-point photo. Note how she filled the blank spots with words to make it all work.

On the outside of the rectangular photo gathering, Liz created a sort of square. The margins around the top and the sides of the gathering are equal. The bottom of the title, “Become,” along with the journaling, complete the square. They create the bottom edge. Even though the square isn’t obvious (because she used words instead of a line to form the bottom of the square) we pick up on its presence, at least unconsciously, and it gives a feeling of cohesiveness.

Liz used white paper and a swipe of white digital paint to bring your eye right to the photo gathering. Notice that the white forms a visual triangle to keep it in balance.

I have to acknowledge the blue flourish on the right side of the page. Liz kept her layout from being overly linear and boxy by adding that flourish. This is something I want to focus on doing better myself. It is so much more visually appealing and artistic when you add curves such as circles, swirls, or flowers, to break up those lines.

Her flourish also gives the effect of a giant splash of water and the placement is perfect because it extends from the line that her son’s arm makes in the middle photo. It is almost as if he is creating a giant splash that reaches out of the photo. Imagine if Liz had placed the flourish on the left side instead of the right. It wouldn’t have had the same effect, would it?

Thanks, Liz, for letting me share your great layout on my blog!

Remember when I highlighted Nat’s Deck Of Me card? I asked her where she got that felt butterfly because I have never seen these felt products in any stores here. She decided to send me some!

Thanks, Nat! I can’t wait to play with it.

By the way, I’ll be back later to post another great layout I found on my blogging treks this week.

I love getting my Creating Keepsakes magazine every month. I look over each issue multiple times for inspiration but I never create anything directly from what I see on its pages. Instead I stalk my mailbox daily hoping for the following month’s issue to come early.

So to make me feel like my magazine is lasting me it’s entire month I decided to start creating a page or two as a direct response. This layout is my response to Ali Edwards’ column. To shake up her routine she decided create some layouts for her March article where she would use a whole bunch of one type of embellishment.

I went with her “Play With Ribbon” idea and this is what I came up with. I mixed some We R Memory Keepers ribbon I had recently bought with some older ribbon I had grown tired of. It is always revitalizing to pair something old with something fresh and new. It gives you a whole new way of seeing the older items.

And with all that ribbon used up it was a great excuse for me to go out and buy some yummy new ribbon! Basic Grey to be exact. Love it.

Journaling:
Aiden–Blake loves to read to you and tell you stories. It’s so awesome to hear from the other room. He loves it.

Products:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics paper
Solid brown paper: Creative Memories
Ribbons: We R Memory Keepers, other source uknown
Rub-on’s: Basic Grey, Danelle Johnson for Art Warehouse
Stickers: 7 Gypsies, Rusty Pickle, Thickers Felt Stickers for American Crafts
Large letter “B”: unknown
Pen: Creative Memories
Ink: Stampin’ Up

He brings me stuff like new lenses and photo editing/managing software.

Tell me this isn’t sweet? The other day Israel read my blog posting about being ready to increase my Photoshop skills. So he brought home Apple’s Aperture.

Until two days ago I’ve been importing all my photos to Apple’s iPhoto. Then I’d edit using Photoshop and save the final versions (usually a PSD or TIFF file plus a JPEG for the web) to Adobe Bridge, the software I used to manage my photos. I’m still learning Aperture and trying to figure out my system, but it looks like I’ll be using Aperture for everything except for when I want to do some detailed Photoshop work on certain pictures.

From Apple’s website, here is one of the best reasons to use this software:

“And for Aperture, protecting your RAW images is Job 1. No matter how you modify the images you capture, Aperture preserves the integrity of the RAW original, never changing a single pixel of the image.

Instead, whenever you use Aperture’s controls to make a change — from improving exposure to increasing edge sharpness to eliminating dust spots — Aperture records them in its database as an instruction set. It doesn’t modify the RAW original in any way. It simply creates a new “version” of your image, modifying the way it appears on screen based on the input you provide. Tell Aperture to make an image brighter, and it does. Following your instructions, it changes the way the image looks but without modifying the original RAW image itself.”

You can have ten different versions of one photo without ever having to save or rename them. This takes up much less space on your hard drive. Plus you can stack all those versions together so you don’t have to search for them individually and you can view multiple images side by side to compare and choose.

Apple is so cool. Well, this is my project for the next little while: to learn how to use Aperture in conjunction with Photoshop.

By the way, Israel took all these photos today.

ETA: Jen wanted to know the settings on the photos. I used to include that information on a lot of my photos, didn’t I? I’ll try to remember that. Israel took them all with a focal length of 50mm. Here are the settings for each photo in the order of the photos:

1) f/1.4
SS: 1/3200
ISO: 100
2,3) f/2.5
SS: 1/1600
ISO: 100
4,5) f/2.5
SS: 1/1250
ISO: 100
6) f/2.5
SS: 1/500
ISO: 100

This is the final version of the layout I mentioned having to fix.

Look closely at the bottom of the layout, just underneath the torn red patterned paper. Do you see anything?

When I created the first version I was in a scrapbook-deprived state, not having had time in a couple days. Plus I had a bit of nervous energy in me. I completed version one in record time (for me). Forty minutes. All in one sitting. Usually I walk away and come back to look from farther back.

But this time I never stepped back to get a broader view. I scrapped like a maniac in close-up. Early on I had decided I wanted Blake’s face at the lower right third section. I didn’t realize at the time that I would have so much journaled area underneath and the additional rub-on. When I added those elements I just kept putting it all together with my original placement plan.

I ended up with a pretty cool layout that was way off-balance. The photo and its journaled matte were almost at the bottom and there was this massive empty space above. Since I had already applied rub-on’s I couldn’t just lift the photo and matte off and move them up.

What would you do?

Here is what I did: I cut almost an inch off the top and then adhered it to the bottom from behind. Take a look. Do you see the seam? It’s definitely there but hardly noticeable. Even when visible it doesn’t take away from the design. Works for me!

Journaling:
You first started gaming when you were four years old. Your first game was Rayman. I remember how frustrated you got, even though you were very good for you age.

You used to ask me to do the hard parts and I always said, “no.” I finally gave in one day but it only took a few seconds to figure out that as a four-year-old, you had much better hand-eye coordination than me. You demanded the controller back immediately and never asked again!

Products:
Cardstock: Pioneer
Patterned paper: Basic Grey, Lasting Impressions
Letters: Making Memories
Rub-on’s: Basic Grey, K.I. Memories
Journal spot, metal tag, ribbon: unknown
Silver brads: Stampin’ Up
Pen: American Crafts

Coming home with a new stack of photos is like receiving new toys as a kid. Only better. There are so many possibilities. So many different ways to play.

I’m sorry about my recent absence. I’ve been focused on two things. Watching the message boards for Hall Of Fame calls (no, I didn’t get one this year) and editing photos and preparing them for print.

Now that I have a fresh stack of things to play with again, I am ready to increase my photoshop skills in between creating layouts. I’ll be sure to share what I learn.

Speaking of layouts, I finished one yesterday that almost seemed doomed for the “Do Not Show In Public” file (just kidding, there is no such file). I can’t wait to show it to you because I was able to fix its problem and now I really love the page. In fact, I was thinking how fun it would be to post layouts that once had major issues and then show you what I did to make them work.

So much to share, not enough time. There are always so many ideas in my head, both for blogging and for actual scrapbooking, that I believe I could spend day and night doing this stuff and every minute would be pure bliss. As long as I get to exercise, that is. I need my daily exercise to keep my energy up and continue feeling alive.

Little Aiden is turning four tomorrow so my free time is limited through Saturday. But I will try to sneak in some chances to post a layout and a few of my gazillions of thoughts.

As in RIGHT. NOW. So far five people have announced (anonymously)on 2peas that they got the call from CK’s Lisa Bearnson. That means twenty more to go and then the Honorable Mention calls will hopefully start tomorrow.

It is so exciting to watch the calls come in! If you want to join the fun, click here.

I really like this photo. I like the depth of field with the focus on the paint-filled bristles. I like the reflection on the metal part of the brush. I love the colors of the paint and the way they shine.

So far, I’ve used this photos on two different layouts. I have a third layout in progress where I plan to use it again. And another photo on that same layout will be making its second appearance as well.

Liz Ness gave some reasons why it is okay to reuse a photo you’ve already scrapbooked. One has to do with my above paragraph, but the other reasons are different and insightful. They relate to subjects that interest me.

Namely, people are enigmatic, therefore, there can be many stories to tell from one experience; one photo.

Now, put more than one person in the picture and you have numerous enigmas. Many stories. Multiple sides. Why not reuse a great picture that does an excellent job at telling a story?

Ali Edwards invited us to capture one of our routines through photos and words and then create a layout about it.

Twyla Tharp insists on having a sort of warm-up routine that signals our creative side that it’s time to move.

After reading Tharp’s book I revamped my morning schedule to take advantage of my peak creating hours and the things that seem to set me in creative flow.

Journaling:
My Creative Habit.
My Routine.
My Signal to Mrs. Right-Brain that
it is time to BOOGIE.
My Invitation the the Muse that
she may Come Out and PLAY.

The SCHEDULE that makes it work:

5:15 a.m. Wake. Eat 1/3 of my breakfast (complex carb).

5:50 Exercise. Read while I’m walking. Meditate while running.

7:00 Shower.

7:30-9:00 Get the kids to their schools.

9:00 Coffee. Make my coffee or tea. Prepare the protein and fruit part of my breakfast.

**And now I’m IN THE ZONE. The exercise wakes up my senses. The coffee signals that it’s time to start.

9:10 Sit down at my table and PLAY!

Mondays, Wednesdays, and most Fridays are my devoted scrapbooking days.

Products:
Patterned paper: Scenic Route
Patterned vellum: Creative Memories
Tags: My Mind’s Eye
Ribbon: Basic Grey
Letter stickers: Creative Memories
Rub-ons: Chatterbox
Pen: American Crafts, Creative Memories