This video, featuring the holiday tags assortment shown on page 102 of the Idea Book, shows you how to make oodles of tags while still leaving plenty of time to shop for all those gifts!

Materials:

• Cricut Art Philosophy Collection
• December 25th stamp set

Welcome to Free-for-All Friday!  Free-for-All is your time to ask all your burning questions about scrapbooking, cardmaking, stamping or papercrafting in general.

Do you want to know more about making layouts?  How to use a certain stamp set?  How to step up your cards?  How to use Studio J?  Need inspiration for a project you’re working on?  Ask me anything and I’ll answer it.  If I can’t, then maybe other readers can answer it for you.

If you don’t have a question, but just want to comment, you can do that too!

Do you want to know more about making layouts?  How to use a certain stamp set?  How to step up your cards?  How to use Studio J?  Need inspiration for a project you’re working on?  Ask me anything and I’ll answer it.  If I can’t, then maybe other readers can answer it for you.

If you don’t have a question, but just want to comment, you can do that too!

To get things started, I’ll ask the first question:

What do you think about the new Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge?  Have you used it yet?  Are you thinking about getting it?  Do you like Cricut or another die-cutting machine?  Share your thoughts!

This Friday I’m starting a new thread called “Free-for-All Friday!“  Free-for-All is your time to ask all your burning questions about scrapbooking, cardmaking, stamping or papercrafting in general.

Do you want to know more about making layouts?  How to use a certain stamp set?  How to step up your cards?  How to use Studio J?  Need inspiration for a project you’re working on?  Ask me anything and I’ll answer it.  If I can’t, then maybe other readers can answer it for you.

So think of your questions and get ready for Friday!  I may even do a random drawing from all the commenters.

See you then!

Flag Banners – We can’t seem to get enough of them!

• Cricut Art Philosophy Collection – includes banner shapes on the cartridge and comes bundled with Dimensional Elements Banners chipboard pieces
• Vintage Type stamp set
• Remarkable Wreath stamp set
• Party Pennants stamp set
• My Creations Banner

Monsters

• Party Animal stamp set
• Hooligans Level 2 Assortment

Retro/Vintage (Dress Forms, Cameras, Sewing Machines, etc.)

• Sonoma Paper Packet
• Sweet Moments stamp set (coordinates with shapes on the Cricut cart)
• Childhood Portrait stamp set
• Retro Tech stamp set
• Tailor Made stamp set
• Filigree Charms
• Pin Clips
• Heirloom Assortment

Have you used any of the items listed?  Which ones are your favorites?

Here’s a handy chart that show all of the shapes available on the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  The download is a PDF file.  Enjoy!

Here are some sample projects using Liquid Applique.

This one mixes glitter and Liquid Applique.

I’ve seen many scrapbookers get stuck making layouts.  They wonder: where do I place my pictures?  How do I layer papers?  How many embellishments should I use and what kind?  These questions have stumped a lot of scrapbookers and have caused many of them to abandon the hobby altogether out of frustration.

When I first started scrapbooking in the early 2000s, I did my layouts “freestyle.”  After a while, I ran out of ideas.  Around this time, Creating Keepsakes magazine was running a monthly column by Becky Higgins called “Becky’s Sketch.”  From a simple sketch, Becky showed you how easy it was to create a great layout.  These sketches changed the way I approached scrapbooking and I can’t even remember the last time I went “freestyle.”

Since Becky’s book, we’ve seen Becky Fleck’s Page Maps and of course, Close To My Heart has a wonderful collection of pattern books for layouts and cards.  A Google search will turn up many other sketches and patterns for you to try.

When I see a pattern I like, I place it in an index file organized by the number of photos on the page.  For example, one-photo layout, 2 photos, and so on.  As you can see, I’ve collected tons of patterns, so it’ll be a while before I run out of ideas.

My Layout Design Approach Using Sketches/Patterns

Now that I’ve given you my case for layout patterns, here’s my step-by-step approach to creating a page:

1. I determine the amount of photos I want to use.  Are they landscape or portrait?  What size?  Am I willing to trim them down to fit the page?
2. What size layout do I want?  12×12? 8.5×11? 8×8? 6×6?
3. Do I want a single page or a two-page spread?  Or is this an album where I’ll have multiple spreads?
4. I flip through my index file or books to find the pattern/sketch that best fits how I want my page to look.  I may choose three to four options and then narrow it down to one.  I look at the size of the photos, the placement of the title and journaling, and the layering of the papers to help finalize my choice.  I also examine the placement of the embellishments if the designer has included them in her sketch.  It doesn’t mean that I’m going to copy the sketch exactly.  I usually tweak it to fit my taste.  Sometimes I rotate the pattern, other times I flip the arrangement of the title, photos or journaling.
5. After I decide on a sketch, I choose the paper, cardstock and embellishments to fit the theme of the layout.
6. Next, I work on the framework.  I trim my papers, photos and mattes, and lay them down for placement.  Nothing is glued down just yet in case I want to move things around.  Once I’ve settled on the arrangement, I adhere everything to the page.
7. After the page framework is set, I add my embellishments.  Many of the sketches I use don’t offer embellishment suggestions, so I go by “feel” or what looks right to me. A lot of times I follow a Z-pattern and I always try to cluster items in odd numbers (3s, 5s, 7s).  Art theory tells us this approach is most pleasing to the eye.  The article, “Basic Design Principles with Debbie Hodge: Flow,“on the Daily Digi has an excellent explanation of creating visual flow on your layouts.  (The post is from a digital scapbooking blog, but the same principles apply to traditional).

I’ve heard some say that patterns are too restrictive.  Perhaps for some people.  But for me, patterns are liberating.  I look at them as a jumping off point.  Of course, you’ll have to choose what works best for you.  But the next time you’re feeling frustrated about how to approach a layout (or card), try a sketch or two.  They just may be the thing to inspire you!

CTMH Sample Layout Patterns

Do you use sketches or patterns to make layouts or cards?  Why or why not?

Materials:

• Sweetheart Level 2 Paper Packet
• Sweetheart My Stickease
• Sweetheart Level 2 Assortment
• Love Ya! stamp set (sentiment)
• Tulip Exclusive Inks stamp pad
• Tulip Exclusive Inks reinker
• Create-A-Shade Pearl Paint
• Spray Pen
• Black ribbon
• Black Waxy Flax
• Brads – Red Assortment
• Foam tape

Techniques:

• On this particular card, about an inch is trimmed off the front cover to create a flap.  Brads and waxy flax are used to create the closure.
• Using the spray pen technique, I applied a light mist of ink to the top flap.

This year, I was able to complete 14 pages and finish the album that I’d started at the Creating Keepsakes Convention-Valley Forge in 2009.  I’ve got at least three albums in various stages and at this rate, it’ll take me six years to finish them all.  I know I’m not alone.

Here’s a layout of my activities.  I’m using the Magic pattern, “Spellbound”  which is the bonus layout from the Sweetheart kit. You’ll notice that I’m purposely using Sweetheart in a non-Valentines-y way.

Materials:

• Sweetheart kit
• Black Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad
• Tulip Exclusive Inks Marker (journaling)
• Ms. Scrapbook stamp set (scrapbooker, scissors, sentiments)
• Authentic stamp set (journaling spot)
• Copic Markers (to color the scrapbooker image)

Techniques:

• I used Copic markers to color in the scrapbooker and scissors.
• I replaced the journaling space on the right side of the layout with items from the scrapbooking weekend.  I always like to showcase memorabilia from events on my pages when possible.
• I added a journaling spot to the left side of layout.  This is a stamp that I cut out.

To top off my weekend, I won a $50 grand prize. Yeah, baby!  I used it to get the CM circle cutter system which is, frankly, very good.  They even have a new 11″ size this year.  Thank you, Creative Memories!