Sketch & photo selection circa 2008
Then only after I had everything planned out, I would create the actual layout. I say "create" but really it was more assembly since I never-ever deviated from my carefully constructed sketch.
Completed layout circa 2008 (title is only different because my mom found the pre-made die-cut somewhere)
By the time my son was born in 2010, this much planning had become very tedious and quite frankly boring. I had such limited free time with a toddler & newborn (with health issues) that I just couldn't bring myself to spend so much time sketching every layout. I tried to craft in a more free-form fashion allowing the pictures to dictate the layout & paper on the fly but the lack of a plan/ direction drove me crazy. And so I hit a slump that lasted well over a year until I discovered pre-made sketches & the radical (to me) notion that you could alter said sketches for several different layouts. By using pre-made sketches I cut out the time-consuming part (for me) of scrapbooking and could focus on the actual creation of art & preserving of memories.
These days I order standard size 4 x 6 pictures in 100+ batches and cut them down as the layout and/ or story to be told dictates. And I buy paper & embellishments just because I like them without a specific layout in mind. After selecting pictures, I often start with Mid-Week Mojo sketches because they're convenient (& who doesn't love the chance to wing goodies? ;-) ) and then pull out paper & push it around until it looks right. Since I very rarely stick to the provided sketch exactly, this is about as close to open-ended creative play as I get ;-).
Since I made a layout about Crystal Palace for my son's album, I of course had to make one for my his elder sister as well ;-). The pictures are very similar but I wanted a more feminine look & to play up the classic architecture of the restaurant. My first thought was Teresa Collins's 'Family Stories' line, but the black paper was way too dark for the colorful pictures & dominated the visual space.
After I switched it out for a cream-colored floral paper from Teresa Collin's 'Tell Your Story' line, the rest of the layout came together easily. Taking cues from Mid-Week Mojo Lilac sketch #4, I inked & layered more paper & embellishments from 'Family Stories' and stamped the floral design in the upper right hand corner.
The journaling is hidden in the envelope down at the bottom. The envelope came with a plain white card so I stamped it for interest & embossed the sides.
You are definitely a planner! Interesting to read how you do your planning, so yes, this challenge was definitely right up your alley! Thanks for joining us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!
ReplyDeleteLovely layout. I can relate to my early crafting being more "assembled". Isn't it fun to look back and see the change. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the spotlight! Woo hoo!
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