New to Paperclipping? A few things you should know: This is a great place to learn all scrapbooking techniques (I've posted more than 100 video tutorials). Several are free downloads, and I consistently release new tutorials every month. Others are members-only, available when you become a member. Finally, I recommend you subscribe to my RSS feed, or the newsletter (the form is in the sidebar) to make sure you get new videos as they're released. Thanks for visiting!
Dream Team
12×12 Layout
This layout’s journaling quotes a conversation with my children and includes my own thought-responses. It reads:
Trinity: “I feel good now that Aiden is at school with Blake and me. Everyday I’m always so excited to see him at the front afterward.” (warms my heart)
Blake: “Me, too!”–Sweet! And no wonder I always find you two with him and his kindergarten class. You 3 are such great friends. Aug. 2008.
How The Photos Tell The Story
When I saw the first photo of Trinity and Aiden that you see above, I immediately saw a big sister who watches over her little brother. Her arm leaning against the post almost feels like she’s got her arm around Aiden.
And do you see the slight difference between the picture of the three of them, compared with the one I used for the Daddy Documents layout? In this one, Aiden’s head is leaning on Blake’s side. These may be small details, but they’re details that communicate.
How The Design Visuals Tell The Story
This layout is very different in style from the previous two I’ve posted this week. It’s not because I suddenly changed moods or because I got inspiration from a page in a magazine. It’s because the story is about love, support, closeness, and friendship. The older two siblings are expressing maternal-like feelings toward their baby brother. And that calls for a more feminine design than the other layouts I’ve posted for the Back-To-School series.
Let’s talk about the specific elements that reflect the mood for this story. The red and pink polka dot flower peeks out from the children, bubbling over with joy (don’t the three embellishments look like they’re bubbling up from the flower?).
The loops of ribbon that cradle the golden flower a little lower on the page suggest ties of friendship– lives intertwined.
The colors keep it lively and energetic (these are kids…we can’t get too serious here!).
The birds, both on the background paper and in the epoxy sticker, suggest a bigger bird looking after a baby.
Paperclipping Pick: A Current School-Related Product
Dedra and I found this white strip of school-lined, scalloped edge paper when we were shopping together last week. We both bought one. But I’m going back to get more.
It’s wonderful! Creative Cafe, by Creative Imaginations, manufactures it. It is 12 inches long. You probably can’t see it in my photos, but it has the elementary notebook paper lines with the dotted line in the middle. It’s perfect for a school-related layout, but will work for any other subject, as well.
So far, I have four layouts related to the kids starting school this year. I have one other I want to do. Can you imagine me trying to fit all those different thoughts and experiences into just one layout? Or, can you imagine me not even telling those stories because all I could think of was, “Your first day of school this year?”
How many of our stories will disappear forever because we don’t notice their uniqueness? Scrapbooking can be so much more than decorating around photos. For me, it has become a reminder to be more aware and to show myself and my children who we are.
Subscribe in iTunes Free