A Scrapbook Page in under an hour!

Well, today is the first Scrapbook Studio JBay step by step tutorial on how to do a scrapbook layout - of hopefully many more to come!  The complaint we hear the most from Scrappers is that they just don’t have TIME to scrap.  Well, we all share that sentiment, and some of us do have more time than others, but we are sure that all of us have at least ONE hour every week that we can Scrap!  We decided to show you how to create a quick and effective page using ONLY patterned papers, one cardstock and some coordinating stickers.  It helps when you need to make a quick page that all your products match – but it is not necessary to do it this way.  You can go through your stash and pick and choose several different manufacturers’ papers and embellishments that compliment each other, and achieve the same effect!  Hmmm, sounds like another tutorial idea!

This is the page that we are going to make.  AS you may, or may not know by now, we have released our kits for this month.  This layout and everything used in it, is just a small part of the “Echo Park A Boy’s Life Kit “. As you can see, really a basic and simple design, with lots of possibilities to be flipped, adjusted, changed into a double page and more!  For this layout I used two matching patterned papers, one cardstock, off cuts from other patterned papers and some stickers.  That is all.  (Not taking into account the tools I used, those are just the productsI used)

 

First step – ALWAYS – trim your background page to 30cm x 30cm.  We know 12 inches are “USA” standard, but a lot of the Postbound Scrapbook Albums don’t like 12” x 12” layouts.  Especially if you use some dimension on your page.  So, we recommend that you get into the habit of always doing this first, so that you don’t have to struggle to fit the page you spent all that time making, into your album.

Next, decide on how many photos you want to use.  I decided to use 4, and all landscape.  I used 3 smaller ones and one bigger one, my main photo.  I printed the three smaller ones in black and white, and the main photo in colour.  Cut your mats for your photos first and position them on your background.  I did not want them straight, as I wanted my main photo to be straight.  So I just put these three at a slight angle.  Glue them down when you are happy with where they are.

 

I love sanding my photos.  I believe it just gives it an extra “pop” when you add them to your layout.  In the shots above, I sanded them the way I see most clients sand their photos.  Very “almost-like”.  If you like it that way, I am not here to tell you to do it differently!  But, the photos below will show you how much more effective this is when you actually sand with meaning!

    

As you can see, it really just makes the photo “pop” more than the first example…….  Please remember that this is OPTIONAL.  If you don’t like it, don’t do it!

People often ask me which sanding tool I use.  I really like the Making Memories, Kaisercraft File Set and We-R-Memory Keepers ones, but this one is my favourite. Tim Holtz’s Sanding Block.  It has a very comfortable grip, and it just sands like magic!  Especially when you need to do big areas.  The Kaisercraft File set is ideal for when you have smaller areas that need detail sanding, and in my opinion you have to have one of these sets in your stash.  Basic Grey also makes a file set that is great – I have not seen it locally in quite a while and we used to import it, but as we are trying to support more and more our local Distributors, we need to find similar products that do the job as well!!  Just a note on tools – when I started Scrapbooking, and I was shown the Basic Grey Precision Tool set, it was really expensive.  I think the shop where I was scrapping sold it for R149-00.  But I wanted so badly to sand my photos.  So I went to Clicks and spent over R100 on Nail Files.  Needless to say, they did a pretty mediocre job.  So, I ended up buying the Basic Grey toolset.  I am still using it.  I have a saying – Scrapbooking is supposed to be fun and relaxing.  If it is stressful or you are struggling to so something, you are either doing it wrong, or you are using the wrong tool!!  Every trade has it’s own tools.  Invest in the proper tools from the beginning – you will need LESS tools and be a more effective Scrapbooker!

Next I took out some of my border punches and decided on which one I wanted to punch a border of.

I cut a strip of another patterned paper – this time a bold one, and I punched a border.  (this is obviously an optional step – if you don’t have a border punch, just glue down the plain strip!!  I then added all my photos and I raised the main photo slightly before glueing it down.

Next I punched a bunch of circles with two different sized circle punches.  (if you don’t have circle punches – cut squares!!  I just did circles as the strip of paper has circles on it, and I wanted to repeat the theme.  Arrange these anywhere on the exposed parts of the pattern strip.

Next I wanted to cover a mistake I had made…….  When I glued my mats down, I forgot that the one needed to be tucked underneath the other one.  So I had to gently (yet forcefully) lift it to tuck the other one in under it.  After I had done it, this looked ugly to me.  So I looked at my sticker sheet, to see what I could use to cover this  scrapbook-sin.  I found a sticker that I thought I could just as well use as the title of the page!  I matted the sticker onto some of the same red patterned paper that my strip was from, and I cut it free hand around the outline.  It looked too bland, so I glued it onto some blue cardstock and also cut it free hand.  Yes, you can cut free hand!  If I can do it, you can do it!  I did not take art at school.  I have never done anything crafty or arty in my life until I started to Scrapbook 5 years ago.  All you need is the right TOOL.  Once again, I thought I could get away with “cheap” tools – but until the day I met Honeybee and Tim Holtz’ Micro Serrated – I was also not able to do detailed cuts!  Invest in a GOOD pair of scissors that you use EXCLUSIVELY for detail cutting.  Double Sided tape or other adhesives should be BANNED from that pair of scissors!

Final product…….it does not cover my mishap entirely, but when you view the layout as a whole, it just draws your attention to the words, and not the blunder!

  

When I glued the circles down, I also wanted some of them to have some dimension.  I had punched a lot of them, so I decided to glue some of them together to not waste, and also raise them without having to stress about finding something to raise them with!  A tip on raising items on your pages – if you only add a foam dot or strip here and there, it will make DENTS in your photos/items over time.  Rather raise with something solid – use fun foam or cardboard for big areas and for small ones, keep those foam dots etc really close, or just cut the same shape slightly smaller from fun foam and adhere it to your item!

So, this is where we are now!  I have placed my circles, my title is down, and now I am starting to embellish my page.  I took some of the stickers from the sticker sheet, like the kite, and glued it down.  I also used some stars that were on the sticker sheet to dress up some of my circles.

          

Some close up shots of how I matted some of the word stickers to give them extra dimension.

 

And there you have it – the completed page!  All in under one hour!  All these products and more are available from the online shop and 106 Da Gama Street, Jeffreys Bay Shop! We have a Scrapbook challenge for you for the month of May – we want you to create a layout based on this design, and send it to us at layouts@scrapbookstudio.co.za before 31 May 2012.  You will be entered into a lucky draw to win a R200-00 gift voucher for the online shop!  We will do a random lucky draw and select a winner before the next challenge is posted!  Enjoy your weekend and Happy Scrapping!