thinking*through*design

a thought on MIXING Black&White Photos with Color Photos

Black & white and color photographs each have their own appeal.  Some photos will look better in one style than the other.  Combining the two on one layout can create a huge impact and have dramatic results.  Lets explore why you might choose color photos vs. black & white.

Black & white photos:

• considered more classic and timeless  
• often “hide” imperfections such as distracting backgrounds or mismatched clothing on your subjects
• minimize slightly blurry photos by creating a more dreamy effect
• create cohesion among photos that were taken at different times and/or places
• can be very effective in supporting a focal color photo
• calming

Color photos:

• considered more modern, hip or fresh
• show incredible detail  
• great for photos depicting action or movement
• energetic
• can effectively support a larger B&W portrait photo by showing the smaller details

Why might you want to combine them on one layout?  

• to contrast old & new or then & now by using the timeless vs. modern idea
• to contrast the mood in the different photos
• to give more detail or information to your layout
• to provide additional visual interest
• to draw your eyes to a focal photo
• Repetition of a single photo (see example below)

Here is very simple example using Color, Black & White and  Sepia photographs.  

 

By Joni Parker

What do you think?  Do you like the idea of combining both styles of photos on a layout?  We would love to hear what you think.  Below you will see what our Thoughtful Girls have created and what they have to say about working with black & white and color photos within a single project.  If you feel inspired to create a work of he{art} yourself based on this thought, please share it with us using the link below.

Happy Scrapping!

 

Let's Take a PEEK at what the TG's came up with!

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Layout by: Heather

Heather’s thought:  For this week's thought, I repeated the same picture four times on my layout, changing only one of the four to color. I thought the fall colors in the background of the picture would stand out more if there were only one color picture mixed in with the black and whites. I normally scrap one-photo pages, so this was a really cool technique for me to use because I still felt comfortable using my one photo when in actuality, I was using four! I had a whole different design planned for my page, but I ended up with this! I started out with a base paper from Amy Tan's "Ready Set Go" line. It already had a slight border printed on the page, along with the little pennants printed in the upper left hand corner. I then layered different papers (my favorite technique) and added photos and the title. I kept this page pretty well un-embellished so the viewer could focus on the patterns and colors of the layout.

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Layout by :Steffanie

Steffanie's thought:  I love the idea of having a focal photo in color and the supporting photos in b&w.  For this layout, I think it worked out perfectly.  The papers I selected are pretty bright, as is the large focal photo.  I could have probably told the story with just that photo, but all the bright colors may have been too overwhelming.  By including the two smaller b&w photos, it not only helped to tell a little more of the story but also toned down all that bold color and gave the eyes a place to rest.  I actually had three b&w photos to include but couldn't come up with a design that I was happy with.  My solution to this dilemma was to tuck it behind the large photo and give it a pull tab (see *happy*).  This also created a place for me to add an embellishment and draw the viewer again to my focal photo.  Win-win!!

 

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Layout by: Sally

Sally’s thought: This is the first time I have mixed color photos with black and white on the same layout.  I have to say it was fun!  As I was trying to pick out my photos I found that there were some that definitely needed to stay in color while others were great in the black and white.  So finding some that worked in both was a little more of a challenge.  Until I came across these.  I loved the main photo but one of the others was a little blurry and the 2nd was distracting due to the wall and curtains in the background. So I switched those to black and white and printed them in wallet size.  Seems like the perfect solution.  I then used the red and white on my layout to work off the Dr. Seuss hat and added some black for a third color.  I kept the design fairly simple as I wanted to keep the focus on the photo.  I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and will definitely be using it again in the future to help incorporate those not so perfect photos.

 

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Layout by: Andrea

Andrea’s thought: It is not very often that I make a LO with one black and white photo and one color photo. I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I read what the current thought was. I thought these photos of the sunset of my recent trip to Cozumel would be perfect. The sunset in the color photo pops next to the black and white photo and they contrast perfectly next to each other. I think I may use this combination more often!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Joni’s thought:  I do this technique from time to time so I was fairly comfortable with it.  I find that I usually use it with wallet sized photos.  For this layout, I had a really fun photo of my son that I already had printed in both black & white and color.  I kept the color scheme of my layout to black & whites/greys with pops of  red, yellow & teal.  I love how using black & white photos in this layout almost shows the motion of my son jumping and helps convey the feelings of joy from the photos too!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

The TG's have done it again!  What great examples for our thoughts...we are interested in what you have been thinking!  Share your layout and your thoughts!  

Be Blessed!

a thought on Burlap Texture...

Happy Crafting to our TTD friends!

This week is going to be fun!  Texture is H-O-T in scrapbooking and one of the most popular textures to hit the scrappy world (other than woodgrain) is BURLAP!  It is a true eye pleaser.  If you are scrapping a layout, making a card or altering your next masterpiece, check out some great thoughts on how to incorporate BURLAP...  now how about we get to it

a thought on BURLAP TEXTURE....

By: Steffanie Seiler and Joni Parker

Burlap is a woven cloth created from jute, hemp or flax fibers.  These plants are not known for their silky or cottony textures, so the result is a coarse fabric with a large weave pattern and natural beige coloring.  (information source: www.wisegeek.com)

Burlap has become very commonplace in the world of scrapbooking, probably in part due to the increased use of mixed media in paper crafting.  There are lots of reasons why it’s appealing.  There is the classic grid pattern.  There is the coarse texture providing tactile interest.  Then there is the natural color which is appealing on its own, but also lends itself to all kinds of possibilities.

Not sure how burlap can work on your layout?  Here are some ideas:

• layer a large piece behind photos or patterned paper
• use a strip of burlap as a border
• add interest by fraying the edges
• cut into shapes such as circles, flowers, stars, banners, etc.
• change the color with paints or mists
• use as a mask for mist or modeling paste
• use your stamps to create backgrounds or titles on burlap

 
This is the perfect season for finding burlap as it’s traditionally associated with Fall.  Usually sold by the yard at reasonable prices, you can find it at most local craft or fabric stores.  Many places even offer other colors besides natural, such as black, green, orange and white.   

 

image copyrighted craftionary.net

 

Let's see what those Thoughtful Girls have come up with!

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Layout by: Beth

Beth’s thought:  Several weeks ago I purchased a yard of burlap. I thought I'd try making some die cut or twisted flowers, like I'd seen in a magazine recently. Then I looked up my assignment for this week and  it was burlap. What a happy coincidence! After experimenting with several sizes of dies I determined the larger the better. The large weave of the burlap frays easily and the smaller flowers fell apart. Fray Check (a sewing aid that prevents fraying) would have probably solved the problem. The bleached burlap takes spray ink easily, and I was able to create two toned flowers. I love the texture and earthy feel the burlap brings to my layout! Don't be afraid to experiment with burlap yourself, it is very inexpensive.

 

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Layout by: Andrea

Andrea’s thought:  Burlap is so in style right now and I love the look of it on scrapbook pages! I wanted this page to have a vintage feel to it so I used very neutral colors and patterns to make the bright colors on the pictures pop. I used the burlap to matte my photo and add the frayed look around the photo. Burlap is so versatile that it would look good with almost any color!

 

 

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Layout by: Steffanie

Steffanie’s thought:  I have used burlap on layouts and projects before and love the look and texture that it provides.  Until now though, I had only cut circles or strips.  For this project I wanted to try something different.  I had an idea to combine burlap with another trend---pennant shaped banners.  I cut the triangles using a piece of chipboard for a pattern.  I found my biggest challenge to be keeping the triangles from unraveling as I worked with them.  I just had to be careful and not over handle them.  I chose these photos taken on a recent trip to a peach farm.  I thought the burlap played in very well to the farm theme since you can often find burlap there and the color of natural burlap fits in well with the outdoors because it looks like...well, dirt.  I also found that the burlap banner at the top provided good balance to the wood-grain paper running below my photos.  Overall, I love the texture and home-grown feel the burlap added to my layout about going to a peach farm!   

 

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Layout by: Amanda

Amanda’s thought: I had a *DUH* moment as I was working on this page.  I pulled out my burlap to find that it wasn’t burlap!  I had a nice stash of canvas, but no burlap.  Silly me.  And being as I procrastinated this post until late, I couldn’t simply run down and buy some burlap.  So my mind got to thinking....hmmm....how can I use burlap without burlap?  I then realized it would be a great opportunity to show that texture and layering can be achieved in a digital format as well as paper. (Great Tip Amanda!  When you are in need of the right texture or embellishment, search for digital elements and create a hybrid layout!)  For the burlap, I found a download of a burlap texture.  I used the cookie cutter shape and cut it into hearts.  I think it made a simply adorable accent with this digital Echo Park paper.  It’s easy to combine digital textures in your pages to create more interest.  And with a few basic skills in Photoshop Elements, a hybrid page can be easily achieved as well!  So don’t let being a digital scrapper scare you from some mediums.  If you have burlap lying around, you don’t even need to download a file, just snap a picture and use the digital picture!  You can use this same technique for any texture you want to photograph and incorporate into a digital or hybrid page.

 

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Layout by: Sally

Sally’s thought: Burlap is a wonderful way to add texture on any project!  When I think of burlap for some reason, I think of fall.  And maybe that's because the burlap colors I had were in orange and browns.  So I finally decided this challenge would be great to scrap these Harvest dance photos of my daughter.  I had considered making fall leaves out of the burlap but once I got it all out and started playing with it, I decided to make these fun circle elements and add buttons on them as well as to create a layered flower with them.  I then cut out some simple leaves, pulled out my green embroidery floss and created a few "veins" on my leaves.  I added the orange strip across the left side of the layouts as well as the little banner/pennant to the top right to create texture throughout the layout. Don't forget how much interest is added, especially on straight cuts, when you pull one or two of the strings off of each side, like you see on the orange strip, making it look frayed. I thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and was thankful for the fun reminder to get this wonderful product out of the draw and use it!  ****************************************************************************************

 

 

Layout By: Heather

Heather’s thought: Burlap- what a cool texture to add to scrapbooking projects! I love the awesome "feel" that burlap adds to layouts. I originally thought of layering burlap with my patterned paper on this page, but then the idea popped into my head that I could use burlap for a background. I tacked the burlap on the page with a little help from my ATG (glue runner). A tip on that-- put your glue on the paper, NOT on the burlap. Burlap is very loosely woven so if you try putting a glue runner on the burlap, the burlap will stretch and look terrible. And you will be disappointed. So, after I lightly adhered the burlap to the paper, I stitched around the edges of the burlap a couple of times with my sewing machine, adding an "X" pattern through the center of the page to help secure the burlap. I really like this technique because it holds the burlap very well! After that I just built my page from there! One last thing- I thought the duck saying, "Dare Devil" was too funny. I have had this journaling card (from October Afternoon) for a while and never thought of a clever way to use it. Now I can say it is on a page!

 

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Layout By: Joni

Joni’s thought:  I love burlap’s natural neutral color and the awesome texture it can add to a page and it was perfect to maintain the “rustic nature” feel for this older photo of my son in a tree.   I also love that it can help “hide” a busier background paper.  So that is how I’ve used it on this layout.  I wanted to keep the “hint” of the pattern paper, but not have it overwhelm the layout, so the burlap is really nice to achieve that and also add some texture.  I also used some of the little strings that I pulled out of the frayed edges of the burlap to make a nice little embellishment border to ground the photo.  I also changed the color of the burlap in two ways, one by using a sponge tip and dipped it in ink to make border lines in the burlap around the photo and second by simply dripping on some red mist.

 

 

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Do you have some ideas of your own for using burlap?  We would love to see them.  Please share your work of he{art} with us and your thoughts on using burlap by using the link below.

a thought on adding dimension....

Hi T*T*D friends!

I am very excited that you made it to this weeks thought.  I hope you will find it as fun and informative as we do!  We have been working hard over  the last few months to bring you some great information.  We are always excited to HEAR FROM YOU!  please hop to our facebook page and share your thought with us. DO you have a technique or design principle you are interested in?  We want know about it.. you may even get a chance to be a guest TG! 

This week we have a great thought on adding dimension to your layouts...

By Laura Mooney and Erika Hayes

3-D movies have become very popular lately and for good reason.  They seem more real and they grab your attention and hold it.  They add a level of dimension that brings the movie to life in a way a “flat” movie can not.

 Let's begin by defining dimension.  Dimension is the depth that items appear on your layout. Layers are important because the tell the brain the level of  importance. Adding dimension to a layout, card, or other project can be a great way to bring life to your project.  Dimension brings visual  interest to your design, moves photos or embellishments to the forefront of the visual hierarchy, and helps it move from the flat plane to the 3-D plane and giving it a sense of reality that is missing in 2-D.

One of the easiest ways to add dimension is to elevate embellishments with pop dots or foam tape.  Elevating a piece of a cluster can be both interesting looking and powerful. One thing to keep in mind when using foam tape is that layering the elements will keep the dimension much more appealing.  

Other ways of adding visual interest by means of dimension is with bulky pre-made or hand-made embellishments.  From flowers to chipboard dimension is a great way to bring your layouts to life.

Dimension can be added with:

• Foam dots/tape which lifts your embellishment
• Chipboard elements
• Paper flowers
• Pre-made items such as brads, or layered stickers and die-cuts

This is a short list of dimensional items you are not limited to scrapbook supplies, dig though your office supplies for even more great dimentional items. We are excited to see what you come up with for this thought.

One of the best things about adding dimention is the fun you can have adding planes of interest.     

One fun tip for dimension if you have a flat object but don't want to add a pop dot becuase you want to maintain a flat surface, you can bring the illusion of depth by adding a shadow to your item by inking the edges or using a Copic marker.  It is a simple way to add the visual excitement you may need.  

 Here is what our TD's came up with

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Layout by Devra

Devra’s thought: I originally started this LO for another purpose.  As I continued to work on it, I realized I was altering it to add some dimension, and decided to use it for this *thought* instead.  I wanted to separate the rays to give them an 'above and below' feel.  First I sewed along the edge of all the cream rays.  Then I cut all the grey rays apart from the others, lifting them with pop dots.  I cut a few of the stars out of the rays and outlined them with Stickles, both above and below them.  In other places I used wood veneer stars that I covered in glitter.  I matted the photo on the same blue paper as the under piece so it would really pick up the cut out stars.  The glitter letters in the title, led my eye back to the glittered stars. The dimension is subtle, however, the effect above and below is present.                                 

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Layout by Colleen

Colleen’s thought: I know adding dimension is a key design element when working on scrapbooking pages, and adding pop-dots or dimensional glaze is easy.  However, for it to look really good, it has to be paired with layering, and well, layering is a skill I’m still developing.  When I saw the pictures of my daughter in the leaves for the first time, I knew I could handle layering a pile of leaves.  To add a bit more dimension, I folded up the edges on the leaves and popped the letter tiles up with dots.  I still would love to figure out how to do a layout with a lovely cluster with lots of layering, but for now, this works for me. 

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Layout by Jennifer

Jennifer’s thought: I like layering elements on top of each other. Sometimes it's easier to put them on pop dots to do the layering. On this page, I wanted to sneak some sequins under my photo; the sequins themselves had some dimension, so I mounted the photo on Dimensionals to make it easier to slide the sequins underneath, along with the tag and the patterned paper card. I also used Dimensionals to layer elements around my title--specifically, the hexagon die cut. I like the real-life "drop shadows" that the elements I layered with Dimensionals created!

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Layout by Carolyn

Carolyn’s thought: My thoughts: I have to admit that adding dimension to my layouts is fairly new to my scrapping.  When it first came out, I refused, thinking it would add to much bulk to my albums!  I didn't like chipboard or foam dots, they were just too thick!  I can say that I am happy that I decided to get "with it" and love it on my layouts, can't imagine doing a layout without adding dimension.  For this layout I started with the pleated paper below the photos, stitching it down with my sewing machine since it didn't seem to want to stay down....I also love stitching on my layouts.  For more dimension on the pleated pp, I added a premade MME layered sticker over three handmade pennants on the right and framed the MME "Happy Day" title to the left, using foam dots.  I made the banner in the upper right corner and added the names and ages of the children in the photo.  I chose not to add foam dots behind the journaling strips since I had already added dimension in this area by adding the twine between the two pink brads.  To finish the layout I used two different chipboard fonts and colors.  With encouragement from other scrappers over the last couple of years, I have tried several new ideas on my layouts.....so glad that I broke out of my comfort zone. 

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Layout by Laura

Laura’s thought: I love adding dimension to my layouts, to not, leaves them feeling flat to me.  For this layout I made sure my photos were matted, which I think adds dimension without a ton of bulk, and double matted my focal photo.  Then I added foam tape under the matted focal photo to give even more elevation for its importance.  Then I added dimension all around the layout by: cutting away on of the surfboards and sliding a photo underneath, using chipboard embellishments, using flat and raised letters for the title, adding the bottle caps, cutting out the starfish and raising some of them with foam tape, adding dimensional glaze to the raised stars and the cutout surfboard, adding string, raising the main body of my journaling.

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Card by Erika

Erika's thought: I think making cards is a hoot--hahaha-- OK seriously, I was working on this fun card for The Scrap Review and I realized it was perfect example of dimension used on a card. I tend to pull out my pop dots anytime I feel like my layout or card needs a little something to make it look complete. I create pretty simple designs so using dimension is a great way for me to maintain my clean graphic look and have fun layers of visual interest.  You can find the entire review of My Little Shoebox here.

 

 

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Well friends... show us what you have for us... We have a great new feature beginning here at t*t*d we will be choosing a featured layout/card/project and giving you a great blinkie for your blog or siggy line.  We also would like to welcome AMANDA onto the editoral staff here.  She will be heading up our highlighted projects!  Welcome Amanda.

Be sure to like us on facebook and share with your friends... remember we are here if you ever want to bounce ideas or if you just want to share YOUR thoughts!

Share your works of He{art} here and on facebook.. and remember thought are meant to shared!

a thought on List Journaling...

Everybody is different when it comes to journaling on their scrapbook pages.  For some, it comes very easily; for others, not so much.  Some write what seem like short novels to tell their stories. While other artists like a briefer approach, sticking mainly to the facts (adhering to the, who, what, where and when) of the story.

While there is certainly no right or wrong way to journal, lists can be a very helpful tool in telling a story.  We all make lists.  Shopping lists, packing lists, inventory lists.  Now let’s think beyond practical lists....how about a list of things that make you smile?  Or lists of best memories from summer break?  What are your favorite foods?  And what about that bucket list?  As we approach the end of the year (already???), think about composing a top 12 of 2012 list.  Wouldn’t it have been fun to see a list of favorite modern conveniences from your grandmother when she was a young mom?  

Creating lists (believe it or not) make memories and require little ingenuity.  Lists help to organize and condense our thoughts into simple statements.  Lists also allow us to include many details in a quick and easy format, bypassing the need to form complete sentences.

The possibilities for list topics are endless.  If you would like a few suggestions, the internet is full of prompts to help you.  One of our favorite sources can be found here:
Kelli Crowe:  List of Lists for Journaling

What makes me happy right now By Steffanie Seiler

Lists can be displayed in many creative ways.  Here are some ideas:

• Bullet points---directly on the layout or on separate strips (see Steffanie’s example above)
  • Bullets do not need to be just black dots either.  You can use embellishments such as brads, buttons, flowers, stickers, staples, etc.
• Use numbers to keep items sequential and guide your viewer through your list
• Pre-made journaling cards often are designed with list journaling in mind
• List items all around the layout in various spots---items don’t have to be in a row to be a list! (see Joni’s example below)
• Point list items back to focal points in your photos using arrows, twine or pen lines

 

By Joni Parker

 

The Thoughtful Girls have been hard at work to bring you some great ideas to incorporate in your next list journaling. Let's take a few minutes to get their thoughts

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Drawer Finds

Steffanie thoughts:  I am a procrastinator when it comes to journaling.  I would even go so far as to say that on all but maybe a handful of pages, the journaling is the last thing I do.  I even have a tray in my craft room for layouts that just need journaling.  They are complete in every other way---sans journaling.  Don't get me wrong...I see the value in it.  But not every layout needs a lot of words.  Sometimes, less is more.  That's where list journaling comes in.  For this particular layout, I didn't have a lot to say.  The photos are just cute...and I wanted to scrap them.  Really nothing more than that.  The title came to me as I was creating the page and I let that lead me to making a list of what was found in that drawer.  Simple.  Done.  Out of my needs journaling tray...and ready to be shared!  Isn't that what we all want?

 

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Skye

Sally’s thought: Lists are a fun way of journaling and I love to use pre-designed lists to encourage me to record unique information that at times I forget to put on my pages.  My daughter graduated from High School last year and instead of putting all of her senior photos on one layout I have chosen to create unique layouts for each one (even if the photos are similar) and use that chance to journal different traits or characteristics about her.  So with this pre-designed random facts list I knew it would be perfect to just jot down a few things about her.  I tried to create a visual triangle with my embellishments to balance it out to keep the eye moving.  I need to remember more to look through the many journaling cards I have and use them more to record the fun, little details of our life. 

 

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Summer 2012

Andrea’s thought: I love lists! I use lists all the time in everyday life as well as on my layouts. I have multiple layouts of my fiancé in which I list reasons why I love him or why we are good together. To mix it up, this time I decided to list some of my favorite things from this summer! I used Elle's Studio tags to list the event and Prima alphas to number them. It was nice to fit so many pictures on the page. I love working with lists!

 

 

 

 

 

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i am

Amanda’s thought:  Lists. Lists are a part of everyday life for me. I’m sometimes really forgetful (okay, most of the time), so I often write lists for everything. Of course, I then am very efficient at forgetting to use or take my list with me….but that’s a topic for another day.

While I normally try to be more, um, poetic, if you will, with my journaling and tell an emotional story, I do often use lists when I want to be factual. I love facts. I love useless knowledge and random trivia. Yes, I love lists with numbers and silly tidbits. I am *that* nerd. So to use a list on a scrapbook page does in a way seem more natural to me. I can leave behind the emotion that I’ve had to learn to use, and write in a more factual way. For this page, I wanted to use some promises from Scripture that I am meditating on. And because are factual, one line statements, I thought a list format was the perfect way to use them! But I didn’t feel like one block of bulleted items would work with the slightly more whimsy feel of the page, so I broke them up on individual strips of paper and made my list in that format. I inked the edges and mounted them on the patterned block to give them a feel of being anchored.

So go for it, make a list! Make it bulleted, or broken apart. Just make sure you don’t forget to include it on your page ;)

 

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Greatest Inspiration

Beth’s thought: I am definitely a list maker! Now that I'm getting "older", even the seemingly simple trips to the store require a list. When I sat down to decide what direction to take, I was thinking about my daughter and how she makes me want to be a good Mom. The layered embellishment made a perfect title and prompt for my list of inspiration. I was also inspired by a list of prompts on the internet to create several more lists, just waiting to be turned into layouts!

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This is SDC

Heather’s thought: I started out by sketching my layout in my handy little sketchbook I carry around in my purse. I used the NEW collection from October Afternoon, Woodland Park. I used the technique of layering to add some interest to my page. I liked the thought of layers because otherwise there would not have been many patterns to add some "oomph" to the page.  I printed my journaling and then matted each journaling strip with washi tape! How fun, right? With washi being so popular in the scrapbook world today, I thought it would add some trend to the layout. Listing is such a fun way to journal. I used little things I thought of as being part of Silver Dollar City for the journaling strips. The last thing I did on my page was the title. I printed a mirrored image on a piece of patterned paper and cut the letters out by hand. Then I noticed that the pattern of the paper I used for the lettering was too busy, so I colored each of the letters with a marker. Enjoy this week's thought!

 

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Some boys really do like flowers

 Joni’s thought:  I love using lists to “put things in order”…in my life and in my scrapbook pages.  I actually started with this floral paper and found this “not so good” photo of my son in some wildflowers but OH NO….his eyes are closed (from the sun)…so I decided to “list” the events that made that photo turn out that way…it’s fun and funny and I got to use up a “not so good” photo by just talking about what happened.  

 

 

 

 

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So let’s make that list...then check it twice.  Soon you will be on your way to a new work of he{art}.  Be sure to share your thoughts and creations with us.  We’d love to see them!

As always, we really want to hear your thoughts!  Please leave some comments or join us on facebook! 

Be Blessed friends!

a thought on CHEVRON PATTERNS

Image by: Joss&Main

 By: Joni Parker & Steffanie Seiler

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A Chevron is a simple geometrical figure, an inverted V-shaped pattern that is generally repeated. Common places to find chevrons are on military and police uniforms and on coats of arms/insignia.  The pattern has become a staple for web design, home decor and fashion design, as it always leaves a powerful impression. It's an edgy choice, but with the right colors and tone it can be quite relaxing.

If you choose the right colors and placement for a chevron design, you can evoke that wavy, undulating, relaxed feeling that lies beneath this design.  Of course, you could also choose to go all out with creating a bold look using this pattern. You could pair the Chevron stripes with horizontal and vertical stripes for some serious texture and visual dimension on your project.

Image by: Dreaming of June

This look is certainly one that beckons you to play around!  If Chevrons seem scary, don't commit to incorporating it into your design completely; maybe try some of these thoughts.

• Matting a photo
• Cut out the V’s (along the stripe) and use as a border
• Use as a substitute for Ric-Rac
• Use as background and tone it down with inks/paints/sprays/mists
• Cut the V pattern (against the stripe) and use it as an arrow or directional element 

 Take some time and think about incorporating this trendy, fun and stylish pattern onto your next

work of her{art} and please be sure to share your finished project with us.

 

Joss&Main

 

 

 

 

Be sure to LIKE us on facebook.. share your thoughts and layout there too! We really want to hear from you and what you THINK is important to us!  PLEASE become a part of our facebook page!

Now let's see what the Thoughtful Girls came up with!

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Goofy Layout by: Sally --- click to see larger image

Sally’s thought:  I love the new trend of using chevrons whether in a fabric, home decor or even in scrapping!  When I see chevrons, I always associate them with fun and happiness.  They just make me happy!  Besides the "fun" factor, I have also found chevrons to be a great embellishment for boy layouts. I scrap a lot of masculine layouts and sometimes get stuck in a rut when it comes time to embellish. When I saw this "thought" I was thrilled!  I knew my layout needed to be about a fun day/time, and what is more fun than Disney?  Once the Disney decision was made, I chose several colors of paper using smaller prints to play off the colors associated with Goofy.  I created my own big chevrons I chose a black background so the brighter colors would pop more.  I staggered the chevrons a little bit to try to help keep the eye moving and to avoid having the bottom of the layout appear heavy.  I also created a smaller chevron to help create balance on this layout.  I topped it off with a few buttons and some misting to give my layout a finished look.

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Memory Layout by: Andrea --- click to see larger image

Andrea’s thought:  I love chevrons! I think they are a great addition to scrapbooking as well as in the fashion world. Often, I use patterned paper that has chevrons, or use a spray ink with a chevron mask. However, this time I wanted to create my own chevron out of patterned paper. It was time consuming for me, but the final product was totally worth it. I used the two handmade chevron strips to ground my photo on the top and bottom and to add some more pink into the layout. 

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Love this Photo of You Layout by: Heather --- click to see larger image

Heather’s thought: I love using chevrons in my scrapping, especially since they are one of the hot trends right now! I do not have a chevron die cut, so I decided to combine several chevron printed papers. I began by sketching my layout, and used the large circles as focal points. I used the lighter chevron print (yellow) for the large circle and the bolder pink chevron design for one of the smaller circles. I chose a line of paper that has a lot of doodles and bright colors. The paper inspired me to add many of my own doodles. After I finished the page, I thought the chevron design needed to be a little more prominent on the page and doodled some large chevron designs on the background and added some glitter to give some of the chevrons a nice finished appearance.

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time to ride Layout by: Amanda --- click to see larger image

Amanda’s thought:  Chevrons are incredibly trendy right now.  They communicate many different things, nearly all of which with a very strong emphasis.  I feel that I need to be careful in my use of chevrons because to me, the effect can be a little bit dizzying.  I also like to be a little cautious with chevrons because I do not want to look back at my albums and say “chevrons, that was so 2012”.  However, when I want to create a page that conveys movement, they are a great option!  In this page, I used a large but simple chevron pattern.  I kept it controlled by making it just a vertical border that my photos were mounted on.  The movement of the carnival ride felt very appropriate with the movement of the chevrons, as well as the excitement of my kiddos on the ride.  To communicate movement, excitement or business, few elements convey that with more strength than the chevron.  So embrace the chevron and what it can do for you.

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Happiness Layout by Beth --- click to see larger image

Beth’s thought: It took me a while to embrace the chevron trend. The bright graphic pattern was intimidating! After experimenting, I have discovered I like chevron patterns  in small doses. This multicolored chevron worked perfectly to create movement on my layout. It directs the eye upward and adds just the right amount of pattern and not overwhelm the layout. It also adds a graphic pop of color, which I love. So do not be afraid to try chevrons on your next layout!

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The Ramp by: Joni --- click to see larger image

Joni’s thought:  I love the chevron pattern since I have a very active little boy and the bold energetic pattern just fits his personality to a T (or maybe a V..lol!).  On this layout, I decided to use the big bold chevron with the kraft color as my background paper and then some smaller chevron with more color to emphasize my photo.  I love how the chevron pattern shows movement, energy and the “up and down” effect that matches my son going up and down on his ramp…on his bike & skateboard.  I also tilted my photos in a manner that further reinforces the V shape.  I’m not one to use a lot of embellishments, so having a strong pattern that has a big impact is a great asset to my scrappy style!!

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Rain or Shine by: Steffanie --- click to see larger image

Steffanie’s thought: When the chevron motif first came out, I cannot say that I was all too excited about it.  However, like many trends, I have gradually warmed up to it.  For my layout, I really wanted to use the chevron in a way that conveyed movement or direction. To do this, I turned the chevron on its side to capitalize on the imbedded arrows in the design.  The photo is of myself and my running partner and how we are a determined pair...not willing to let a little Oregon sunshine stand in the way of getting out for a run.  I further highlighted one row of chevrons pointing toward my photo (and right under the title) with a clear glaze pen.  The effect is subtle but reinforces the meaning I was trying to convey.  Movement and direction...running toward better health!   

 

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We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the chevron pattern... answer any questions you may have on our facebook page.. come on over and be sure to play along and post your work of He{art} here -- soon you will be able to have a blinkie and be highlighted at t*t*d --more on that later!  For now we are excited to see your work!

Blessings

e

a thought on SPLATTERING!

Welcome back friends.

Today we were thinking about different textures.  Texture on layouts and projects has become very predominant in the last couple of years, and with good reason!  Both actual and visual texture goes a long way on layouts to create dimension and keeping ones work from looking flat.  One way to achieve this look is with splattering paint, dye and other texture mediums—whatever you can think of that would be safe for your photos.  Splattering is very similar to using spray mist, but often leaves larger drops as opposed to a fine mist.  

There are numerous ways to create a splatter effect.  In this thought, we will explore a few of our favorites.

 First off, prepare to splatter you will want keep your splattering under control. You can certainly take your project outside, place your work in a box to contain the mess or simply lay out a piece of freezer paper on your worktable.  You can even curl the sides of the freezer paper up for better containment.  Make sure the waxy side is up and you can just wipe up any excess paint when you are finished.

When using paint, we found that when the paint is on the thin side you will find the splat will be much easier.  To begin, mix paint with a little water – test as you add water to see if you like the look of the splatter.  If it is too fine, add more paint. If it is too thick, add more water. We suggest using an old toothbrush; make sure it is not the one you currently brush your teeth with (haha).  Dip the bristles into the paint mixture, making sure it is saturated, pull back on the bristles with your thumb, and let it fly, just like the kids do to your bathroom mirror! This method gives you a finer splat pattern and is a little more difficult to control.  This technique works with both paints and dyes.

A second method to try is to dip the brush end of a good-sized paintbrush into the paint mixture, making sure to saturate, hold over the paper, grab a second paintbrush, tool, dowel, cell phone, and give the saturated brush a good whack.  I find that this technique gives you bigger drops and is easier to control by how hard you hit your brush.

A third method requires compressed air, and the spray mist or dyes. We have put together a thoughtorial for you to demonstrate the steps in creating a more dramatic splatter look.

Splatter thoughtorial

With all methods, you place your splat pattern much like you would if you mist.  Think about what the desired effect is going to be.  Are you trying to just add a bit of visual interest to an otherwise flat piece of cardstock or do you really want to grunge up your work?  Try to direct your splats to best achieve your texture goals.  Remember, practice makes perfect, the MORE you try the better your control will become. 

Here are a few more thoughts on splattering from the TG's

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First 4th of July by Carolyn

Carolyn’s Thought:  This was my first try at splattering and loved the results!  Although I have misted on my layouts in the past, I had never tried splattering.  The only plans that I had when I started my layout was a star red, white, and blue theme since I was scrapping my granddaughter's first 4th of July celebration.  I decided to experiment by misting on white cardstock with glimmer ist, using Candy Apple Red and Sapphire Blue.  I removed the cap from the bottle and tapped the end of the spray nozzle across my hand, resulting in the large splattering across the paper.  I liked the splattering effect and cut the small stars and title tag from that paper.  I used the same technique to splatter the large blue and red stars.  Since I love using stars, I cut more from different patterned papers and lined them up to the left of my photos, making sure they touched the photos to help ground them to the layout.  I chose to stitch the stars with my sewing machine, love the look, and I like knowing they are securely attached.  I printed the title using my Creative Lettering Hearts Font and cut the "1st" with my Cricut Cuttin' Up cart, stapling a red & white ribbon to the tag.  For embellishments, I cut a star from corrugated cardboard, placing another star, button, and twine for added depth.  I printed the date and "celebrate" tag on kraft paper and finished the layout with the "shine" embellishment.  I had fun with this thought and love the added texture to my layout!  

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Splash by Colleen

Colleen’s Thought: I have never used any type of paint on a layout before.  I was a bit scared at the thought of splattering. My first thought when planning the page was that I wanted to use playful pictures.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted paint on just the background, or layer some papers on top, so I  played around with my papers, deciding to splatter on both the background and patterned papers.  Picking the paint colors was easy, but then I had to play around with different brushes and techniques to figure out which I liked the best. I ended up using a brush with firmer bristles and two different techniques.  On the bottom of the page, I tapped on the top of the brush, so the drops would fall straight down.  In the upper right corner, I flicked the side of the brush, so that they would slanted drops showing more motion.  There weren’t too many decisions after that, and the page came together really quickly after fussy cutting the water swirl.  I love the bright burst of color the splattering adds to the top, right corner. I can see myself splattering in the future to help add some interest to relatively dull spots on my page.

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dunk by Devra

Devra’s Thought:  I was nervous to try splattering.  I've only recently started to use mist and am still getting used to just letting go!   For this page, I wanted the droplets look to mimic the sprinkles on the cookies.  I chose these photos, because I really couldn't go wrong with the splattering.  Wherever the ink landed would be fine.    I pulled the sprayers out of my mist bottles and tapped them with a toothbrush to get the ink all over the page.  I got bigger drops if I shook the bottle before pulling the sprayer out of the bottle.  I used PP with small bits on them, also like the sprinkles.  I added a few buttons and brads to the mix for some texture amongst the ink drops.  I would do this again.  It was fun and fairly easy, as long as you don't spill the bottle of ink.

 

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Wild Water by Laura

Laura’s Thought:  I have really embraced paint, mist and splattering!  It just brings such a level of playfulness and fun.  I think that you can use the splatters to tell another part of the story, like in my layout about water fun.  The blue paint spattered about mimics water drops and spray fun associated with water play.  To make my splats, I watered down some blue paint, dipped my paintbrush into the paint, held over the layout papers, and smacked the paint filled brush with a second brush until it looked the way I wanted it.

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You and Me by Jennifer

Jennifer’s Thought: I like to splatter mist when I think my page looks a little too tidy. For once, I remembered to do it before I glued stuff down! (GREAT TIP: When I forget, I cover the design up with wax paper and splatter anyway.) I chose green and aqua to match some accents on the page. I removed the spray nozzle from the mist bottles and shook down, not side to side, where I wanted the splats. I started under the photos to see what it would look like, knowing it would be covered up. When I got the look I wanted, I did continued elsewhere on the page. When I was done, I waited for it to air dry, wishing I'd used a heat tool to set it quicker! (I was at a crop and had forgotten it.) I then glued everything on, and added a few more splats to the upper right where I thought I needed more for balance.

 

 

 

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hello card by Erika

Erika's thought:  I am always looking for details. I love the detail that both misting and splattering. I was a card maker before I was a scrapbooker and when we decided to give some thought to splattering, I knew just what I wanted to share.  The splatter effect that used compressed air.  I love that I have the "power" to decide what direction my splatter has by which way I direct the air.  It is important to use contasting colors and to allow for dry time.  Using glossy paper is not absolute but it does make it work easier. If you want to have more fun... put your paper inside a box and get your ink ready and spray the compressed air and the ink drips it gets splattered when the ink hits the air stream!

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We are excited to see your thoughts on splattering. We will be adding a new feature to t*t*d and will be posting more information soon! 

Please do add your work of He{art} here on the blog with Mr. Linky and on our facebook page!

a thought on CALENDAR EMBELLISHMENT...

For many of us, calendars are a part of our everyday lives.  They keep us organized, help us remember significant events, dates and memories, whether they be in the past or still to come.  In scrapbooking, we are usually documenting past events, even if it was just a few hours ago!  I always try to include the date on every page that I create and since my layouts always have photos, it is generally the date the photo was taken.  Sometimes the specific date, sometimes the month and year are sufficient, sometimes just the season and the year.  In any case, it is a documented time in our lives.  Sure, handwriting or typing the date is fine but with so many calendar embellishments options, it is fun to change it up! Calendar embellishments come in a wide range of colors, fonts, sizes and styles and are just begging to be incorporated on your next work of he{art}

Here are a few ideas for using calendars:

• Calendars as a main focus.  One of the ways that you will see calendars used on a layout  is to document a whole month. Either when there are many activities going on or several significant events utilizing a full month calendar embellishment is very effective.  One may use an entire calendar page and rather than tossing it at the end of the year, use it on a layout.  Then your calendar would become the focal point of your layout with perhaps smaller photos to provide detail and support.  An example might be documenting a baby’s many firsts.  Another could be all the events and festivities you participate in leading up to Christmas.

• Smaller calendar images as embellishments.  Many small calendar pieces are available on the market, not only document the date but also make lovely embellishments.  There are die-cuts and stamps, where you can just circle the month, date and year.  In addition, the size of the calendar can carry some visual weight---perhaps equal in size (or close) to one of the photographs.  It is still a very integral part of your layout, maybe not the focal point but more than just an embellishment, as showcased in the layout below

image: Steffanie Seiler

Calendars are visually appealing because of their clean graphic linear style and grid patterns are very trendy.  So put on your thinking caps and let’s see some wonderful thoughts and inspiration using calendars...a useful and trendy numerical grid!

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Here are some more thoughts from our TG's on calendars:

Twinkies by: Heather

 Heather’s thought: When I first saw this thought, I both a felt negative and positive feeling at the same time. I knew what I would use for the calendar, but I had no ideas on HOW to use it. Then I read the thought all the way through. An embellishment- ahh! That is how I was going to use the calendar. I do not often use large embellishments, and I felt apprehensive at first. I had no idea of the layout, so I started from scratch. I finally decided on three pieces of patterned paper for the background matting of the focal point. I off-centered the photo and then got to work embellishing my page with the calendar and smaller embellishments. I did not really have a place to add journaling, so I put a journaling spot in the upper right corner of the page to house my story of the picture. In all, I was satisfied with how my layout turned out... especially when I am inexperienced in using large embellies such as calendars!

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In a Flash by: Beth

Beth’s thought: As I was sifting through my photos it struck me how fast the time has gone. My once chubby babies are now nearly adults! That is when the idea for a layout spanning time came about and what better represents the passage of time than a calendar. A grid pattern seemed a logical choice as it is very calendar like in itself. My little used 2"x2" square punch finally got a workout! I used it to punch photos of my family and pages from a pocket calendar. The calendar squares are left unadorned so they stand out on the page. Creating this layout really got me thinking about different ways to incorporate calendars into my scrapbooking!

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Skye Graduates by: Sally

Sally’s thought: When I found out this week's challenge I remembered having several calendars to choose from in my stash.  After pulling them out and looking at photos, I decided that if I was going to put a focus on the actual date by using a calendar, then I wanted it to be a special day I wanted to remember always.  With that in mind, it made looking through my photos much easier and I finally decided on this photo of our family on the day our daughter graduated from High School.  I used this fun scalloped calendar page as my base and since the rest of the month did not really matter. I mounted my photo on the left side, along with some patterned paper to add some visual and textural interest. Along with using color and to help ground my photo.  I chose to use stitching to circle the date of her graduation, highlighting the importance of the date.  I loved finding a fun way of journaling. This was a special day in our daughter's life and I will definitely consider using a calendar as an embellishment for future special days and events. 

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December Chiller by: Steffanie

Steffanie’s thought: As much as I looked forward to being a part of this "thought", I actually struggled with it quite a bit.  I have a great "whole" calendar stamp that I have used before (see above sample layout).  But for this thought, I wanted to try using some of the cute little embellishments that you see where you just circle stuff---the date, year, season, day of the week.  You get the idea.  I started by printing from my computer the larger polka-dot circle (download from Silhouette).  I then borrowed a stamp set from a friend that had different years and the seasons.  I got the basic layout together. Alright, with the basic layout done, the embellishing is where I got hung up.  I had a hard time finding balance, creating a visual triangle and tying the calendar elements in with the rest of my layout.  I wanted it to look like it belonged there, not as if it was just something that I was forced to use.  Eventually the sticker embellishments and word strips helped to achieve unity on my layout.  Although it was difficult, I am glad that I stuck with it.  I liked being able to circle the month, season and year to document time and also having it serve as a point of interest.

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I Love You More Today Than Yesterday by: Amanda

Amanda’s thought: Calendars are always around us in life; and really, I should learn to pay more attention to them since I’m always forgetting what day it is!  LOL!  Despite calendars being around us nearly everywhere we turn, I rarely think to incorporate them into my pages.  For this project, I did not interpret calendars to reflect a specific date.  I wanted the calendar to represent the passage of time.  I used all the elements of a 6x6 Simple Stories Year-ography page to represent a full year.  My title “I Love You More Today Than Yesterday” also represents the change of time, not so much a specific date.  So go ahead, use a calendar to represent the passage of time, how things are different now than before, or even just as a cool grid element!

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Christmas Joy by: Joni

Joni’s thought: I found a package of calendar die cuts dated 2010, so I dug out photos from that year too.  I also used a die cut paper with calendar print as my background to tie in the date theme.  When I first placed the calendar on the right side, I had my right photo low enough so the entire calendar was visible.  I kept trying to figure out what was wrong with my layout when it dawned on me I didn’t like the look of that much calendar and I really didn’t “need” to “point out” December 25^th…that was really obvious with my theme.  I moved the photo up, overlapping the calendar and still have the same impact with better visual appeal.  It was fun to do a Christmas layout without using Christmas paper or embellishments. 

 

 

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I am excited to have each of you here and blessed that you chose to take time to play along.  plese feel free to come over to our facebook page and offer any suggestions or comments --post any and all of your thoughts.. that is why we are here.. sharing all of us together!

So please don't just share here-- your work of he{art}  should be posted everywhere!

a thought on GROUNDING

Good Morning to our thoughtful friends!

Have you ever heard the saying “S/he is so grounded”, and not like when our kids are our past curfew, but the other kind of grounded—If I described someone as grounded you would probably think they have it together, she has direction or purpose right? 

Today we turn our thoughts to grounding.  In scrapbooking, grounding is the art of creating a foundation for our layouts.  Grounding gives photos visual weight and gives our element in our design purpose.  Grounding is a wonderful way to pulls our viewer’s attention to what we want to be the focus of our page...the photos.

To draw attention to your photos and have them appear to be the highlight of your layout without being distracting to the viewer’s eye, you will want to design your layout so that the focus shifts to the area that you intend.  If you have one photo, you don’t want it to appear to be floating on the page.  In the case of multiple photos, you want to create a place for them to be visually tied together.   Action photos can be particularly at risk for getting “lost” if they are not grounded.

Sketch by Becky Fleck for Project 12-Scrapbook & Cards Today

source:  scrapbookstudio.typepad.com, April 11, 2011
 Additional Becky Fleck Sketches can be found at Page Maps

In the sketch above, the photos are "grounded” with an implied strip of patterned paper that continues behind the elements on both pages of the layout. Using one element of the sketch is connected to (or ground) all the elements of the layout together into one unified design. When the elements are grounded, each appear to have meaningful placement.


Other concepts to consider when grounding your photos:

• Color: Darker colors often visually appear to have more weight than lighter colors. Often using darker colors can aid in ground your photos and embellishments.
• Size: Consider that size adds weight (the larger the element the heavier it may appear).  Therefore, if you wish to add more emphasis to a smaller element it can be helpful to use a larger grounding element to help the smaller item stand out.
• Location: Grounding does not have to be “under” your elements.  You can use elements to ground on the side, above or through the middle of your focal elements.  This is demonstrated in the sketch above. Proximity can be a very effective way to ground images and elements together on two page layouts.
• Clustering: Using a cluster of elements the corner of your photo, title or journaling can add weight and visual interest, thus giving the sense of purpose as well as giving your reader a defined focal point.

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Joni's thought

Joni’s thought: I wanted to ground my son in this photo, so I let the busier end of the photo hang onto the busy patterned paper so it blends in.  I utilized a large grey area to vertically ground my son on the right side.  I added a lighter color to give the eye a place to rest.  I also added all my embellishments to "his end", to give that side some visual weight and draw the eye.  I also kept the vertical theme by adding my title vertically.

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Colleen's Thought

Colleen’s thought: Grounding is something that I really struggled with when I first started scrapping.  I look at some of my first layouts, and my pictures, although matted, seem to float on the page.  I probably would not be scrapping today if it were not for sketches and scraplifting. By using sketches and scraplifting, my pages gained structure and I inherently learned about grounding.  I still rely heavily on sketches or lifting, rarely making a layout of my own design. Therefore, I challenged myself to see if I could truly ground my photos without referring to any other aids. It took a lot longer for me to scrap this page than it normally does, but I am pleased with the result.

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Devra's Thought

Devra’s thought: I did not begin this layout with the purpose of our 'thought' of grounding photos. I was just doing my thing, when it occurred to me that the photo looked lost on the page.  It was too similar to the colors of the papers.  I knew I had a transparency that may work well. As soon as I laid it over the photo, the photo appeard to stand out.  I really liked the way it looked.  I tried to splatter mist to give the layout some shimmer. I felt as if I had almost ruined the layout. The drops did not come out as I had planned.  I tried to brush the splatters hoping the result would look "frosty".  I decided to try brushing and misting some white paint over the black to lighten it up. When I sprayed the white mist over the mess, the mist clogged, resulting in larger droplets.  That 'mistake' turned out to work in my favor.  I think it helps further ground the photo by drawing the eye from the top, directly to the photo, then to the bottom of the page. Phew! Crisis averted. As we say here at t*t*d there are NO mistakes, just creative opportunities!

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Jennifer's Thought

Jennifer’s thought:  I like leaving white space on my photos, then using the white space to "anchor" the photo down, either with title, journaling, or embellishments.

Since this photo is so large, I did not need to draw attention to its being the focal point photo; instead, I used the white space to draw greater attention to the subject: my son at the edge of the water. I placed the title and journaling on the right to balance the image of my son on the left.

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Steffanie's Thought

Steffanie’s thought: I think after scrapping for 10+ years, grounding photos finally comes naturally for me.  However, I have relied heavily on sketches and have definitely done my share of lifting ideas.  For this layout, I wanted to test myself and see if I could really do it without any kind of visual aid.  After selecting my photos and papers, I began by cutting a large block of patterned paper to be the main "anchor" for my photos.  I had a title in mind and knew that I wanted the key words to be next to the coordinating photo, which helped me decide to orient my photos vertically rather than horizontally.  To ensure my photos were grounded by the patterned paper. Additionally the orientation the paper, I felt, needed to be the same direction.  By overlapping my photos onto the patterned paper, I have achieved the first step in grounding.  I further grounded my photos, by cutting t a border strip and a stripe print to add visual interest to the focal point.    My layout felt sparse and I felt I needed to ground those elements to the foundational cardstock, which would help anchor my title.    I trimmed the light teal cardstock utilizing it help fill in the "white space" and found that it also helped to ground the left side of my photos. The final grounding element is the small horizontal strips of patterned paper. Each of these elements help to ground the entire layout and give it a cohesive feel.  I actually think I surprised myself at how easily I was able to ground my photos.  The process of thinking it through while creating really helped me to see the how and why this principle is so important to thoughtful design.  It was pretty cool!

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Carolyn's Thought

Carolyn’s thought: I love scrapping two page layouts and grounding is an essential tool when scrapping my multiple photo layouts.  For this layout, I used sketch #27 from Sketch Support, staying true to the design.  My first paper choice for my layout was the cloud paper from lime twist.  I planned to use a cloud theme for repetition, since by repeating a design element builds a feeling of connection thought out the design.  I chose to ground my photos with the lime green paper by Crate Paper that stretches behind and across the two sides of the layout.  I then matted three vertical and two horizontal wallets, overlapping them onto the other photos, to visually tie them together.  My final grounding for this layout was the repeat of the cloud element, which I layered and attached to the photos and background paper.  The cloud elements also added the design principal of a visual triangle.  For more repetition, I stamped a cloud image under my journaling strips and finished by adding a little bling with the black swirls. 

 

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Now that you have had time to give this design concept some thought, we would love to see the different ways that you choose to ground your photos on a layout.  We hope that you will share your work of he{art} with us by using the Mr. Linky button below.  

We have a facebook page where you are able to chat with us or suggest somthing you would like to see thought about!  Please like us and share with your friends!

a thought on FUSSY CUTTING

Fussy Cutting is a commonplace technique in the quilting world. The paper art industry has ventured into fabric so I think it is only right we borrow some great techniques from the fabric world. Fussy cutting being one that many  paper artist seem particularly fond of using. With all the beautiful paper we have to choose from WHY NOT!  
 Fussy cutting is a great way to use the supplies you already have to create unique embellishements.  You can single out a design on a pattern paper (or even use your packaging from other supplies), use fussy cutting in your clustering and layering, and you can use fussy cuts to create photo placement by simply cutting along a pattern line and tucking your photo into the slot.

We have a few thoughts on fussy cutting that we put into thoughtorials I hope both of these are helpful and encourage you to try your hand at fussy cutting.

Fussy cutting to create you very own embellishments

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here are a few more thoughts on fussy cutting:

HEATHER’S  thought: First, I want to say that fussy cutting adds so much fun to your layout-- I just do not do it enough. I chose a paper line for my layout because it had some awesome flowers that I thought would look very nice fussy cut and pop dotted on my layout. I used a sketch as a beginning point, but I changed a few things along the way. For example, I matted my photos, which consequently made them larger, and so I could only fit four photos on the page instead of five like the sketch showed. I fussy cut several rose clusters and individual flowers. In addition to the banner, the flowers are my only embellishment, demonstrating that fussy cutting can be a budget friendly technique!  While creating this layout I used three clusters of flowers to incorporate the design principle of a visual triangle.

 

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SALLY’S thought: Fussy cutting is one of my favorite techniques.  Today, there are so many manufacturers making fun clusters and elements on their patterned papers that can be fussy cut to add some fun and whimsy style, as well as making it possible to have a unique layout. I chose to work with a fabulous line that I hand cut the flowers/journaling block as well as a bird from a pre-printed patterned paper.  I added dimension and visual interest to the layout I adhered the fussy cut bird to the layout with a pop dot. Another thing I love to do is take a paper with an allover pattern and hand cut a border using the shape already printed on the paper, such as chevron, hexagons, beehive print, etc...  Therefore, that is what I chose to do with this pink pattern.  It does take a little bit of time but I love the unique quality that fussy cutting lends to a layout.  I added a little bit of stitching and mist to increase the texture and visual interest

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BETH’S thought: Fussy cutting is one of my favorite techniques! When choosing paper, I look for a design that can be fussy cut and used as a design element or an embellishment. On this layout, I chose a patriotic paper. It is a perfect example of finding a design in a paper and using it as an embellishment. Quilts remind me of our heritage and feel as American as baseball and apple pie :)  I cut the "Dresden Quilt" (a pattern used in quilting) pieces from a sheet of 12x12 patterned paper, inked them and then layered with coordinating die cuts and foam squares. The rich colors of the papers complimented this photo of my daughter and her friends at sunset and contributed to the homespun feeling of this layout.

 

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AMANDA’S thought: I’m pretty sure that fussy cutting is called that because that’s how my attitude turns when I attempt it….fussy…yup, just like a tired baby. However, for this assignment, I put my big girl panties on and dealt with it. I realized as I was pulling paper that fussy cutting does not have to be intricate, elaborate or curved things. It can be straight lines too! That is great because my fine motor skills are not very good (which is why I get fussy) and it is difficult for me to cut a beautiful curved line. However, with the help of a ruler and craft knife, I was able to easily fussy cut the straight lines of the hexagon pattern in this paper. The great thing about fussy cutting is that it is a very budget friendly way to add a lot of pizzazz and elements to a page. I used two sheets of 6x6 papers and one sheet of cardstock to make a page that had a lot of Wow without a lot of POW to the wallet.

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ANDREA’S thought: I LOVE to fussy cut! It is one of my favorite things to do and when I buy patterned papers I always look for the papers that will allow me to fussy cut (that is if I do not buy the entire line)! For this, LO I was working with the MME Follow Your Heart "Blue Doily" paper. I thought that fussy cutting the small doilies would be perfect for a banner and the different sizes of the doilies would allow me to mix up the banner a little bit. Look for patterned papers to fussy cut! I am sure they are right in front of you! 

 

 

 

 

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Laura’s Thought: Fussy cutting is a great way to use your stamps.  I think just stamping straight on your paper can look very flat and cutting them out and mounting them, just makes them pop.  You can stamp, color in, leave blank, and cover with dimensional glaze or tape.  It is a great way to use a supply that might be neglected in your stash.

 

 

 

 

 

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ERIKA'S thought: I love fussy cutting!  I love to fussy cut when I quilt and when I scrapbook. I like the effect that pulling a little detail from a bigger paper and creating a unique embellishment. When I saw this paper I loved it, but I knew it would overpower my photos and the idea of fussy cutting out just a few of the flowers seemed like a perfect solution. I enjoyed adding dimension to my layout. I love the delicateness of fussy cutting and how it shows such a great attention to detail on your work.  I like that when I look at this page it shows how very much I care about my craft. I often fussy cut images I stamp for cards and other projects and it is a truly effective way of drawing out the details!

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Now we would love to see and hear your thoughts... please share with us your creations!

Be blessed friends and  don't forget to like us on Facebook! 

 

a thought on HAND STITCHING

Welcome! What a blessing to have each of you here and making the launch of t*t*d such a success!  Thank you!  This week we have a great thought for you, it is a thought on hand stitching the very popular trend that is popping up on so many layouts, and why not, it is beautiful, adds gorgeous texture and an inexpensive way to make your layouts exceptional!

Hand stitching has become prevalent in the paper crafts industry, seen often in scrapbooking and card making. It has been embraced in the paper craft community and is where we would like to direct our thoughts today.

Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is the fundamental process underlying a variety of textile arts and crafts, including embroidery, tapestry, quilting, appliqué and patchwork.
For thousands of years, all sewing was done by hand. The invention of the sewing machine in the 19th century and the rise of computerization in the later 20th century led to mass production of sewn objects, but hand sewing is still practiced around the world. Fine hand sewing is pursued by both textile artists and hobbyists as a means of creative expression.  
(source:  Wikipedia)

There are several ways to create designs for your stitches:  

• Pre-made templates that have designs you follow to pierce your holes   
• Anything you can use as a template: a die-cut, brass or masking template, a plate or even a child’s hand.
• Tools that create pierced patterns
• Freehand --- no pattern, just go for it and stitch, OR--

--draw your pattern directly on your paper lightly in pencil, then pierce & erase the marks.   

--print or draw on vellum and then use that as a guide and pierce through it onto your paper.

 Sample by Joni Parker

Sample by Steffanie Seiler

The most commonly used stitch in scrapbooking is a backstitch:

 

Photo credit: Sublime Stitching

However there are many other fun stitches you could try.

There are several “mediums” that you can use to create your stitches
Floss, thread, twine, ribbon, jute or even fun crazy stuff...like shoelaces!

So why would you use hand stitching on your scrapbook layout?  

• As an accent
• To add texture
• To outline
• To adhere things (ribbon, clear items, title letters, etc.)
• As a border, (whole page or around smaller items such as a photo, journal block, etc.)
• To create words on your page ( title, subtitle)
• To convey feelings

In addition, speaking of feelings, just what kind of feelings could stitching convey?  

• homespun, warmth, comfort, like your grandmother’s well-worn quilt
• whimsy and fun (pattern & color used)
 

Looking for video on how to make some of the speciality stitches?

Check out Needles 'n Thread's video collection

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Here are a few more thoughts on hand stitching from our Thoughtful Girls

                                                              

Colleen’s thought:  I love Hand-stitching on a layout, even if it is just a small bit since it adds so much detail and texture.  After I had paper and pictures down, I wanted to bring something similar to the red vertical strip over to the left page, so I added the red stitching just inside the die-cut.  I love to stitch over lines already on
the paper, so I used a combination of metallic and cream thread to stitch over the ornament string.  Finally, I generally write my journaling on strips, but I did not want to cover that much of the background paper, so I stitched my journal lines instead. This did not take away as much white space, giving the eye more space to rest.

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Jennifer's Thought:  When I thought of stitching, I thought of a quote from the author E.M. Forster: "Woven into the Robe of God". The quote comes from an essay that warns of the burdens of property, so this inspired a page about my boys' love of Legos, specifically new Legos. I pictured a robe weaving across the page, so I hand drew some lines, punched holes, and backstitched. I added embellishments/paper punches to each wave of the robe and stitched them together with different stitches. I think the result looks richly quilted, which was my intention. 

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Devra’s thought:  I love that stitching can add texture, that it can be subtle or bold and that it can very simply, change the whole look of my layout.  Since I stitch on my layouts regularly, I wanted to do something different this time.  One thought I got from an idea book was to stitch around die cut letters in a title. I thought about it a long time and came up with the idea of the rainbow, followed by the supporting words, and finally the photos to support the rest of the design.  The title came out bigger than I had anticipated, but it is supposed to be a focal point. I wound up over thinking everything else on this page, trying to get it perfect. I reminded myself that there is no such thing as perfect, and it all fell into place. I even found embellishments with stitching printed on them to play off the title. Lastly, I added the two buttons with thread to tie it all together. 

 

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Steffanie'sthought: I love hand-stitching on my scrapbook pages.  I usually do simple straight lines or maybe a zig-zag or a cross-stitch.   This time I got this idea to do some lines of grass using a template.  Before long, clouds and a kite popped into my head...and suddenly I was stitching the entire scene!  I don't think I have stitched many shapes before this.   My original plan was for some patterned paper strips beneath the photos.  But as I got going, I challenged myself to create my page without patterned paper.  Could I support the theme and look I wanted with just stitching?  I think I did!  It just goes to show, you can let hand-stitching do as little or as much as you want for your project!



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Carolyn’s thought: I must say this "thought" was a challenge for me. Hand stitching on a layout, this is a challenge for me as an artist. I have seen it done many times. I like the look, but the thought of stitching on paper really took me out of my comfort zone.  I chose to draw my title directly on white cardstock, piercing the holes by hand, and then stitching with black floss using a simple backstitch.  I have to say I was not pleased with the result and would have been happier had I made the title larger, it would have been easier to stitch.  After finding the green frame, I noticed the small circles and decided to add French Knots to add texture and mimic the black center of the flowers in the green pattern paper.  Although I chose to keep my stitching to a minimum on this layout, I will use this technique again. 

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Joni’s thought:  I approached this *thought with the intention to combine hand stitching with machine stitching.  I wanted to have a muted background so I began with canvas and using a 5x7 frame as a mask, misted the canvas.  I then machine stitched a clean simple border accent.  I created my scroll and title patterns with templates and hand stitched in the un-misted areas so the bright colors would really stand out.  I found the balloon transparency and thought that looked fun above the airy scroll pattern.   I was pleased at how the contrast of muted and bright colors along with the contrast of the machine and hand stitching helps convey the message of laughter and fun.

 

 

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We thought you might like to try some hand stitching on your next work of

He{art}.  If you do, we would love to see what you create.  Please share your work and thoughts with us using the Mr. Linky button.

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