Free scrapbooking layout ideas: valentines day themes

AN EASTER BASKET OF JOY:

This is a great way to fit up to a dozen photos in a single layout without any clutter.

You will need:

Several sheets of cardstock (your choice of coordinating colors)

Oval or Egg-shaped template

Self-adhesive photo laminating sheets (or your laminating machine)

Dinner plate

Scissors or craft knife

Scrapbooking glue

Adhesive– glue stick or photo mounting tape

Pencil

Ruler

Choose your background color cardstock and set aside. Choose another cardstock that will serve as a giant basket on your page. This can be patterned or solid, but it must be cardstock (not paper). Place the dinner plate on top of it and trace around it. Remove the plate. Using a pencil or ruler, divide the circle into two halves. Cut one half out. This will be the bottom of your basket. Decorate it if you like, with ribbons or embellishments.

To create a basket handle, choose another sheet of cardstock in the same or coordinating color. Use the dinner plate again as a template to trace a circle. Place the ruler across the diameter of the circle, then move the ruler down an inch or two so that it is not across the circle’s widest point. Draw a line across. Cut out the circle and across the line. Take the larger half and cut along the inside so that you have what looks like a large letter “C” if you turn it sideways. Rotate it so that the two end points are facing down. Affix the handle to the background cardstock first.

Take the basket bottom and, along the back of the page, use glue along the circular rim. DO NOT apply glue all over the back of the basket, or along the cut edge of the circle. You want to create a pocket. Liquid or gel glue will work better than a glue stick for this job, as they have a stronger grip; a good, double-sided mounting tape will also work well. Affix the basket bottom to the cardstock background with adhesive, overlapping the end points of the basket handle by an inch or two. Set aside to dry completely, if using glue. When dry, add any other decorative elements, such as sticker groupings in the corners or a title across the page. Just be sure to leave the inside area of the basket empty to receive your photos.

Take anywhere from 6 to 12 of your Easter photographs. Center your subject in the template and cut the photos into an oval or egg shape (approximately 4 to 5 inches in length). You can also cut some sheets of paper in the same shape, and use them for journaling memories about that day, Easter poems, or biblical quotes. You must have an even number of elements.

Take your accent color cardstock. Cut them into slighly larger oval or egg shapes than you did the photos/journaling elements. These will be your mattes. You will need half as many mattes as you have photos or journaling elements to display. Mount one photo or journaling element on each side of a matte with tape or glue, so that each matte is double-sided.

Now it is time to laminate your photo eggs. If you have a laminating machine, you will have no problem laminating your photo eggs in clear film. Trim around egg shape to get rid of excess film. If you do not have a laminating machine, try to obtain self-adhesive photo laminating sheets that do not require heat or a machine to use them. You may also want to check with your local scrapbooking specialty store or office supply store to find out if they have laminating services.

You now have three to six, double-sided photo eggs to slide into place in your basket pocket on the page. Spread them out so that they can be seen peeking over the edge and each other. When you wish to show off your photos, pull your eggs out of your basket and pass them around.

RELIGIOUS LAYOUT

Are you an adult who is tired of the childish Easter fluff? Are you seeking an elegant layout for the holiday featuring the real reason for the season? This is a simple but great way to show off your church photos in a dignified way.

You Will Need:

Black cardstock

White cardstock

Yellow or gold cardstock or paper

White or clear vellum

Silver Metallic opaque pen

Scissors or craft knife

Ruler

Circle template or cup

Adhesive– glue stick or double-sided mounting tape

Square or rectangle template (optional)

Black photo corners (optional, but a nice touch)

Take your white cardstock. Using your ruler and a pencil, make a large cross for your page (For a 12X12" book recommended cross size is 6" in height and width). Cut it out.

Lay the white cardstock cross on the black cardstock background. Center it. Use a circle template or cup and lay it over the intersecting section of the cross until centered. Use a pencil to mark its place. Remove the cross and replace the template on the black cardstock, using the pencil to fully mark the boundaries of the circle. Using a scissors or craft knife, cut the circle out of the paper.

Take the yellow or gold cardstock and lay it on the table. Place the vellum paper over it, matching up the corners. Affix it in the corners with a glue stick or double-sided tape. Then place the black cardstock with a circle cutout over the vellum. line up the edges and corners and affix the pages together. Place the cross back on the black paper, over the circle, centering the intersecting part over the circle. Use a glue stick to affix it there permanently. The cross will now have a circular “aura” around it created by the vellum and yellow paper.

Use your opaque marker (alternately you can get alphabet stickers or die cuts) to write a page topper caption, such as, “He Is Risen... And We Rejoice!” Cut your photos into squares or rectangles that will fit along-side the cross. Four photos surrounding the cross and very slightly overlapping the yellow “aura” make for a nice, balanced look. Mount the photos on white cardstock mattes with black photo corners for a nice, finished touch. Mount the matted photos onto the page.

by M.S. Beltran

Free scrapbooking layout ideas: easter themes

AN EASTER BASKET OF JOY:

This is a great way to fit up to a dozen photos in a single layout without any clutter.

You will need:

Several sheets of cardstock (your choice of coordinating colors)

Oval or Egg-shaped template

Self-adhesive photo laminating sheets (or your laminating machine)

Dinner plate

Scissors or craft knife

Scrapbooking glue

Adhesive– glue stick or photo mounting tape

Pencil

Ruler

Choose your background color cardstock and set aside. Choose another cardstock that will serve as a giant basket on your page. This can be patterned or solid, but it must be cardstock (not paper). Place the dinner plate on top of it and trace around it. Remove the plate. Using a pencil or ruler, divide the circle into two halves. Cut one half out. This will be the bottom of your basket. Decorate it if you like, with ribbons or embellishments.

To create a basket handle, choose another sheet of cardstock in the same or coordinating color. Use the dinner plate again as a template to trace a circle. Place the ruler across the diameter of the circle, then move the ruler down an inch or two so that it is not across the circle’s widest point. Draw a line across. Cut out the circle and across the line. Take the larger half and cut along the inside so that you have what looks like a large letter “C” if you turn it sideways. Rotate it so that the two end points are facing down. Affix the handle to the background cardstock first.

Take the basket bottom and, along the back of the page, use glue along the circular rim. DO NOT apply glue all over the back of the basket, or along the cut edge of the circle. You want to create a pocket. Liquid or gel glue will work better than a glue stick for this job, as they have a stronger grip; a good, double-sided mounting tape will also work well. Affix the basket bottom to the cardstock background with adhesive, overlapping the end points of the basket handle by an inch or two. Set aside to dry completely, if using glue. When dry, add any other decorative elements, such as sticker groupings in the corners or a title across the page. Just be sure to leave the inside area of the basket empty to receive your photos.

Take anywhere from 6 to 12 of your Easter photographs. Center your subject in the template and cut the photos into an oval or egg shape (approximately 4 to 5 inches in length). You can also cut some sheets of paper in the same shape, and use them for journaling memories about that day, Easter poems, or biblical quotes. You must have an even number of elements.

Take your accent color cardstock. Cut them into slighly larger oval or egg shapes than you did the photos/journaling elements. These will be your mattes. You will need half as many mattes as you have photos or journaling elements to display. Mount one photo or journaling element on each side of a matte with tape or glue, so that each matte is double-sided.

Now it is time to laminate your photo eggs. If you have a laminating machine, you will have no problem laminating your photo eggs in clear film. Trim around egg shape to get rid of excess film. If you do not have a laminating machine, try to obtain self-adhesive photo laminating sheets that do not require heat or a machine to use them. You may also want to check with your local scrapbooking specialty store or office supply store to find out if they have laminating services.

You now have three to six, double-sided photo eggs to slide into place in your basket pocket on the page. Spread them out so that they can be seen peeking over the edge and each other. When you wish to show off your photos, pull your eggs out of your basket and pass them around.

RELIGIOUS LAYOUT

Are you an adult who is tired of the childish Easter fluff? Are you seeking an elegant layout for the holiday featuring the real reason for the season? This is a simple but great way to show off your church photos in a dignified way.

You Will Need:

Black cardstock

White cardstock

Yellow or gold cardstock or paper

White or clear vellum

Silver Metallic opaque pen

Scissors or craft knife

Ruler

Circle template or cup

Adhesive– glue stick or double-sided mounting tape

Square or rectangle template (optional)

Black photo corners (optional, but a nice touch)

Take your white cardstock. Using your ruler and a pencil, make a large cross for your page (For a 12X12" book recommended cross size is 6" in height and width). Cut it out.

Lay the white cardstock cross on the black cardstock background. Center it. Use a circle template or cup and lay it over the intersecting section of the cross until centered. Use a pencil to mark its place. Remove the cross and replace the template on the black cardstock, using the pencil to fully mark the boundaries of the circle. Using a scissors or craft knife, cut the circle out of the paper.

Take the yellow or gold cardstock and lay it on the table. Place the vellum paper over it, matching up the corners. Affix it in the corners with a glue stick or double-sided tape. Then place the black cardstock with a circle cutout over the vellum. line up the edges and corners and affix the pages together. Place the cross back on the black paper, over the circle, centering the intersecting part over the circle. Use a glue stick to affix it there permanently. The cross will now have a circular “aura” around it created by the vellum and yellow paper.

Use your opaque marker (alternately you can get alphabet stickers or die cuts) to write a page topper caption, such as, “He Is Risen... And We Rejoice!” Cut your photos into squares or rectangles that will fit along-side the cross. Four photos surrounding the cross and very slightly overlapping the yellow “aura” make for a nice, balanced look. Mount the photos on white cardstock mattes with black photo corners for a nice, finished touch. Mount the matted photos onto the page.

by M.S. Beltran

Simple beginning scrapbooking tips: planning designs and colors

DESIGN PLANNING

THEME: When choosing your photos or memorabilia for a scrapbooking layout, whether it is for one page or a several page spread, the first thing you will want to consider is the theme. The theme can be stated as a page title or caption, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be obvious, such as kids in pajamas ripping into a pile of presents under a twinkling tree. But even if it is so subtle that it is barely noticeable, your theme should be kept in mind when starting your layout.

A theme unites all of the photos and elements of a layout so that it tells one specific story. Photos in a theme don’t have to come from the same moment, day, or even the same roll of film. They do have to have something in common to achieve a sense of continuity in the layout, rather than having a random grouping of images.

PLACEMENT: Once you have chosen your photos and colors, you will want to begin considering their placement on the page. Begin this step by choosing a focal point. Consider the focal point as the star of the show, with all other elements of the page playing supporting roles. In a scrapbook, a focal point is usually a photograph, but can also be a piece of memorabilia or journaling.

You can make your focal point more prominent in a number of ways. You can make it larger than the other elements or photographs on the page, matte or frame it differently or more elaborately, cut it into a different shape than other photos on the page, or group embellishments around it to draw attention to it. If you are featuring a single photo on a page, you can center it, but off-center placement of your focal point can add visual interest, whether it is alone on the page, or accompanied by secondary photos.

Once you have your focal point, you will want to begin experimenting with your photo arrangement in order to achieve balance. If a page is well balanced, one area will not seem “heavier,” or more cluttered, than another area. This does not mean you must achieve perfect symmetry, though symmetrical layouts, when using an even number of photographs, can bring about a nice balance. You can also achieve balance by using an odd number of photographs, such as arranging three in a triangular shape, with a photo where each point would be.

Keep your photos and embellishment groupings spaced fairly evenly. If they aren’t spaced evenly, it should be a deliberate placement, not accidental. In art design, this is known as proximity. Be careful of what appear to be blank gaps that seem like something is missing. You can use embellishments, such as a die cut or sticker groupings (odd numbers are more visually appealing in groups) to fill these spaces. Don’t be afraid to have some negative space, or space that is left blank. Too many elements or photos jumbled on the page can appear cluttered.

Another element of placement you will want to consider is flow. This is when you arrange the photos in a way so that they eye moves seamlessly from one area of the page to another. One way to achieve flow is to have your subjects facing inward toward the center of the page, or secondary photos facing toward the focal point.

TEXTURE, DEPTH AND DIMENSION: While not necessary, you can make your pages more visually interesting if you consider texture, depth and dimension in your layout.

Texture can be achieved by using paper and elements that have some texture to them, such as hand-made papers, velvets, meshes, leather, embossing, or even patterns that achieve texture through optical illusions (bricks, pebbles, wood grain, etc.). Try layering different textures in order to create an interesting look.

Depth can be achieved with shadowing and highlighting elements. One easy way to do this is to double page elements, such as mattes or die cuts, in two colors. Put them on top of each other, slightly askew, or off-center, so that the bottom peeks out just a bit around one edge of the top. If the darker color is on the bottom, it will give a shadow effect, while if the lighter color is on the bottom, it will give a highlight effect. You can do the same thing using pens, markers, or even chalk, making a slight shading around one or two edges of the elements directly on the page.

Dimension comes best from adding three dimensional elements to your page, such as paper flowers, buttons, bows, or raffia. It can also be achieved by using the many pop-up book techniques to create pop-up scrapbooking pages.

COLOR

HOW COLORS AFFECT PHOTOS: Your choice of colors will have a huge impact on your page. The right colors can make a photograph seemingly pop out and come to life. The wrong colors can clash with your subject, wash it out or overwhelm your layout.

Try this experiment: Select about a half dozen sheets of paper in different colors. If you haven’t purchased any scrapbooking paper yet, simply use any color paper, such as construction paper, or go to a store that sells scrapbooking paper by the sheet. Take your photo and lay it on one sheet of paper. Ask yourself what tones and hues are brought out of the photo against that color. Are those tones and hues flattering and natural, or do they discolor or wash out the subject? Does the color brighten or dull the colors of the photo? Does the background color clash with the main colors in the photo, or compliment it? Place the photo on other colors, and notice how different each background can make the photo look. With the results of this experiment in mind, remember to always have your photos with you when choosing your page colors.

This doesn’t mean you cannot use a color you had your heart set on in a layout. You can neutralize the effect of one color by using another color as a barrier between it and your photograph. For example, if you wanted your “Baby’s First Christmas” layout to have a red background to go with your page embellishments set you got– but, alas! The red cardstock causes your baby’s naturally pink complexion to appear unnaturally red and blotchy. What to do? Use the red as a background paper, and try mounting the photo on a green, navy blue, white, or even a patterned or textured paper matte. Make sure the matte color is more flattering to the photograph, and that it also goes with red. Make sure the matte exceeds the size of your photograph at least a half inch to an inch on each side so it will keep the red far enough away to avoid it bringing out the undesirable undertones of the photograph.

HOW COLORS AFFECT MOOD: Color can also dramatically affect the mood of the layout you are creating. Bold, high-contrasting colors can make a layout look playful and whimsical. Rich jewel tones are also striking, but in a more formal way. Neutrals or muted tones give a relaxed, earthy appearance to a layout. Pastels soften the look of the page. Black-and-white combinations are great for achieving formal elegance, or a vintage look. Keep your theme and the mood for which you are striving in mind when choosing the colors for your page.

CHOOSING COLOR COMBINATIONS: There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how many colors should go on a page, or which colors go together, except that they should flatter your photo and look good together on a page.

The best way to choose your color combinations is to purchase an inexpensive color wheel. You can find one at art stores and many places that sell arts and crafts supplies. Colors at opposite ends of the color wheel compliment each other best, as do triadic colors. Triadic colors are at the three points of the wheel that would form the points of an equilateral triangle; for example, red, blue, and yellow form a triad on the color wheel. Colors that are right next to each other give you a monochromatic pallet.

If two colors go well together, but you feel that the combination is so strong that they detract from the photo you are using, try using one as a solid, and the other in a patterned paper that contains the second color. This will give you the combination you want without creating a design that is overwhelming.

The most important thing about color is to try out all possible combinations with your photo before using any adhesives. If you plan your color scheme well in advance, you will waste less paper and make fewer mistakes in your page designs.

Free scrapbooking layout ideas: high school graduation themes

High school graduation is a time to celebrate and dream big. Traditionally, people referred to high school as the “best years of your life.” While this may not be true for you, finally graduating has got to feel good even if you’ve had a mediocre high school experience. Carefully select images from your high school photo collection and from photos from the day itself that will help you remember the teachers, friends and family who helped you reach this milestone.

If you are not a fan of mushy love songs, you may want to listen to some just to get some ideas for your scrap book pages. Mushy love songs are full of clichéd messages that may be overused but are easily understood and work very well as celebratory themes. Some examples of clichéd but appropriate themes are: Flying High on Eagles Wings, Climbing the Highest Mountain, Friends Forever and Reaching for the Rainbow. Not everyone graduates from high school, so you deserve to pat yourself on the back and bask in the glow of overused idealism. As time passes, you will look back and smile inwardly at your response to one of the first major accomplishments in your life.

In addition to using mush to explain your emotional response, don’t be afraid to be realistic about your high school impressions. If you snap a photo of the “Dragon Lady” who was your toughest math teacher, go ahead and build a page around this theme. Perhaps include a few instructors on a page who were difficult. Add some red scribbles and broken rulers. Add accessories that explain your difficulty dealing with these people. You may also want to include a few labels for the people who made your high school years less then heavenly. Art allows for freedom of expression. Although others may be leafing through your scrapbook, include a few pages that honestly reveal your emotional impressions of an experience to help you recall the events in richer detail as time passes.

Devote at least a page to the program and a description of the ceremony and the themes of the speeches. If a famous public official speaks at the ceremony, include some pictures or information about the speaker on a page. Recall the moods of your favorite people. Were your friends happy, sad, nervous or apprehensive about the future? Use color and contrast to reflect the moods of the people you include on your page. Try to include the words that they said to you on this special day. Who wished you luck? Who said something really memorable? Who ignored you? Also include snapshots of the stage and the arena where the event took place. Consider how this setting played a role in your overall impression of the experience. What was the weather like the day you graduated? Was it sunny and warm or rainy and dreary? If the weather played a role in the experience, isn’t it worth remembering? Include stickers or cut out little suns, clouds and raindrops as appropriate.

High school graduation is a major life milestone and should be celebrated and preserved as an important memory. Consider the lyrics to dreamy songs to anchor your emotional response to an event. When you commemorate your experience, use a bit of mush to keep your head in the clouds, but when appropriate add a bit of sour commentary to authenticate your response. A bit of reality always adds character. Years later you will appreciate your attempt to honestly capture this very important moment in time.

by Stephanie Arado

Free scrapbooking layout ideas: gingerbread page ideas

“C” IS FOR COOKIE! LAYOUT

Create a gingerbread page bordered page to show off your baking day.

You will need:

Coordinating background and accent color papers of your choice

Brown paper

Paint pens (white, black, red)

Scissors

Small 2" gingerbread man template (see below)

Piece of cardboard

Pencil

To make your small gingerbread man template, simply photocopy a picture of a gingerbread man at a reduced size until it is approximately a half inch to an inch high. Cut it out, place it on cardboard, trace the outline, and cut it out. You now have a gingerbread man template.

Take the brown paper and cut out strips slightly taller than your gingerbread man template. Fold the strip back and forth accordion style, making sure that the width of each section is equal and just a hair under the width of the gingerbread man template.

Place the gingerbread man template on the top section of the “accordion” and trace it. Cut the figure out with scissors, going through all of the sections of paper, leaving the arms attached. You now have a set of gingerbread men paper dolls who are holding hands. Repeat this process with four more strips of brown paper so that you have four strips of paper dolls.

Using the paint pens, decorate the gingerbread men as you would decorate a gingerbread cookie with royal icing, using white for trim, black for eyes, and red for buttons and mouth. Set them aside to dry thoroughly in order to avoid smearing.

When they are dry, use a glue stick to affix a strip of gingerbread men across each edge of your page. Turning them so that all of their heads are facing inward toward the center of the page.

Cut a 1 ½" square out of the brown paper. Slightly round the sharp corners so that it resembles a ginger snap cookie. Using a white paint pen, draw a border around the edges of the square, and a big letter “C” in the middle. Affix it to the upper left corner of the page, and use a paint pen to write the rest of the letters “IS FOR COOKIE.”

Your page is now ready for you to mount your favorite baking photos or cookie recipe.

CAN’T CATCH ME!

This is a great layout honoring the classic gingerbread man fairytale, for pictures featuring a small child on the go.

You will need:

Brown cardstock

Tan cardstock

Red cardstock

Paint pens (white, black, red)

Red zig-zag border trim

Red letter stickers or die cuts

Gingerbread man cookie cutter

Pencil

Scissors

Adhesive– glue stick or photo mounting tape

Photos of a young child on the go

Take the cookie cutter and place it on the brown cardstock. Using the pencil, trace the shape of the cookie cutter onto the brown cardstock. Cut out your gingerbread man with scissors and decorate him using the paint pens like you would decorate a cookie with royal icing. When drawing the eyes, make one “winking,” then use red for buttons and a smile, and white for trim. Set the gingerbread man aside and let it dry thoroughly.

Matte your photos on red cardstock. Use the zig-zag red border trim around the edges of the tan cardstock to create the page border.

Arrange the gingerbread man and the photos on the page and affix them. Using the letter stickers or die cuts, Fill in blank spaces with the words, “Can’t catch me..!”

HOLIDAY GINGERBREAD HOUSE

The open windows and doors of this cute ginger bread house will frame your winter holiday photos.

You will need:

Brown cardstock

*Die cuts or stickers of candy (candy cane, peppermints, gumdrops)

Paint Pens (white, green, red)

A background paper or cardstock in the color of your choice

White cardstock

Scissors or craft knife

Adhesive– glue stick or photo mounting tape

Pencil

Ruler

2" circle template

2" square template

Cut out a house shape as large as your page will accommodate. Simply use a square base and triangular shaped roof to achieve the effect.

Place the square template at the bottom right corner of the house and mark the space. Then, use the circle template at the top of the square so that the top line of the square cuts across the diameter of the circle. Mark it with your pencil. This will create a rounded doorway. Cut it out.

Use the square template and pencil to mark one window to the right of the door, and one or two more windows above the door (depending on the size of your house). Cut them out.

Place your photos underneath the house and arrange them so that the subjects can be seen through the door and windows. Use the glue stick or tape to affix the photos to the back of the house shape. Trim the photo in the door at the bottom so that it is even with the bottom of the house.

Affix the house to your background paper. If you like, use a strip of white cardstock along the bottom to resemble snow.

Use your candy stickers or die cuts, and your paint pens to decorate and add details and trim to your gingerbread house.

* If you cannot find candy stickers or die cuts, create them yourself using red and white striped paper for candy canes and mints, and cut out gumdrop shapes (slightly square, but narrower at the top, with rounded edges) in assorted gumdrop colors, such as red, green, and yellow.

by M.S. Beltran