Digital Scrapbooking Blog and Scrapbook Inspiration
from DesignerDigitals

Saturday Scraplift No. 144

“You’re gonna love this story” says the title on this week’s inspiration page by Denise Gormish. Well, you’re gonna love this layout! It’s so lovely and fresh. The white background allows the light, bright photo to really shine and is always a good choice when you have a photo with strong colors in it. Yet, it is far from plain, thanks to the yummy colored brushwork and the little details Denise has added. A fab design too, with great use of journaling strips.

Look at how different the layouts inspired by this great page turned out (and don’t forget to share your take on it too in the Saturday Scraplift gallery!)

Credits: layout by Janet, Mailroom no.01 paperpack, Stacked classic frames, Messy Stamped Alpha no.04, Domesticity hand-drawn words, Staple its, File Folder Labels element, Lil Bit tags, Loopdaloop artstrokes, Stitching by Anna Aspnes (including Stitched Bitz).

Credits: Layout by Lynn, Classic Cardstock: Natural Beauty, Vintage Photo Frames: Large, Vintage Photo Frames no.04, stitching from Year in Review Template no.03 and Rounded Word strips by Katie Pertiet, Journaling spots and strips by Lynn Grieveson, Brad Bonanza by Pattie Knox.

Credits: layout by Angie, ArtPlay Magic Solids, Classic Curled Photo Frames no.02, Typesets Memory No.01, Little Plastic Flowers no.01, Scatterings no.04, Different Strokes no.04.

~ Lynn

Yesterday marked Day 70 for the 365 project! The Flickr group is filled with great inspiration from those 70 days. Congratulations on great work.

My favorites this week have a theme (again).

I love the look, the pop of red, and the great panning by Hezro. A fun and tough technique. Make sure you click on it to see a bigger version.

The pink makes my heart sing in this photo by Christine Denis PHotography. The lines make this so visually appealing.

One of our newest members is kb7496. Her photo is pure sweetness. I love the lighting, the sweet expression, and those sharp eyes. She made a beautiful layout using this photo too.

Another great week. Many wonderful photos! You can still join the DD flickr group if you haven’t, we’d love to see you there.

Share your favorites from the last week in the DesignerDigitals forum.

Don’t you love to hear other people’s secrets? Well, just like when we were kids: if I share, then you have to share too. So in this week’s Art Journal challenge we are going to spill our beans. Pick one of your secrets and make an artful expression of it. While you are at it, upload it to our Art Journal Gallery, so we all can take part in your secret! 

This week, I am proud to present Starlite9711/Bailey, a member of our Creative Team, and her terrific page - she says this is her first Art Journal page and she is hooked. She made an important point in saying: “I made a vow to myself to scrap more OF me, and FOR me…..this stuff is important even if our kids faces aren’t plastered all over them.” I could not have said it better myself.
(And I promise, it was pure chance that both Bailey and myself decided to use Anna’s Potpourri paper!)

And here is my page and secret.

I used one of Anna Aspnes’ superfun Potpourri paper packs, where the white background paper is already folded and stitched down. The other elements I placed on top and carefully erased where I wanted to create the effect as if they were tucked beneath the fold. The phone I googled and shamelessly grabbed off the internet, used my Magic Wand Tool in Photoshop to erase all the white and then “glued” it onto my page. SO much easier and less messy than with a magazine, good old scissors and glue.

You may also notice that most of the title (Truth) is hidden and hard to see. Don’t be afraid to partially or mostly hide elements, titles or journaling on your pages. In the end, your Art Journal pages are not for a grand audience (well if you don’t mind the rest of us who are oooooh’ing and aaaaaaah’ing at your creative work) - these pages are for YOU. As long as you know what you wrote and your intentions, that’s good enough. I say it again, in Art Journaling it is the Process more than the final product that matters. And having fun while doing it.

These are some of the products I used: Anna Aspnes - Potpourri no2 (Coming soon!), Pattie Knox - Absolutely Acrylic: He Said/She Said, Jesse Edwards - Retrophide Kit no2, Katie Pertiet - Twisted Stitches and Watery Alphabet No. 03.

Have fun revealing your secret, opening the backdoor and unveiling part of you!!    - Aino.

Today we’re spotlighting Katie’s Clustered Layered Template No. 03. It’s part of a fun and versatile series that lets you use lots of pictures, lots of paper, or a combination of both. Katie’s design pulls the pieces toward the center, leaving white space where the eye can rest.

Kathleen (kathleen.summers) used the template for pictures of her less-than-happy daughter as she celebrated her first birthday. The soft pinks and neutral background create the perfect palette to allow those photos to shine.

Credits: Clustered Layered Template No. 03, Naturally Krafty No. 01 Paper Pack, Cut Ups: Baby Collection, Postage Strip Words No. 01, Jewelry Tag Alphabet, Tied Fasteners No. 03, Cheeky Time Plus Pack, MonoBlendz True Taupe Paperie, Torn N Tattered Scalloped PaperStrips No. 01, Stitched by Anna Scalloped Borders No. 01, Stitched by Anna Bitz White No. 01, Worn Page Edges No. 02, Natures Best Flowers, Bibles Quotes No. 02.

Steph’s (Steph) page focuses on her daughter, too. Libby’s own words provide the journaling about how she feels when she’s with her equine friend Angel. Steph drew her color scheme from Libby’s red jacket.

Credits: Clustered Layered Template No. 03, Caught Red Handed Kit, Cabana White Solid Paper Single, Ledger Paper Pieces: Hearts, Cut Ups: Everyday, Cut Ups: Everyday.

I wanted to try something a little different with Katie’s template. I merged the layers of the cluster, clipping to it a single picture of the cupcakes from my older son’s recent birthday. This large photo then became the background for the shot of my son and grandson.

Credits: Clustered Layered Template No. 03, Tied Fasteners No. 03, Assorted Tapes No. 04, Hush-a-Bye Element Pack, Ingrid Kit, Memory Mini Line Stacks Brushes and Stamps, Birthday No. 01 Brushes and Stamps, Staple Its, Stitched by Anna Lime No. 01 (coming soon).

Katie’s template is one of today’s Thrifty Thursday specials. I hope you’ll join us in this challenge and post your page in the Template Challenge Gallery.

It’s Thrifty Thursday at DesignerDigitals where we have a brand new item priced at just $ .99 cents and 329 items marked down 30%. These specials only last until 6am EST on Friday morning so don’t miss out.