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Monday, February 21, 2011

Sketch time!

Confession: Busy patterned papers scare me!!
They are so pretty, but they intimidate me.
Most of the time I want to frame them & hang them on a wall rather than scrapbook with them.
Usually when I do use them on a project, I cut them up first and just use pieces of them.
BUT there are so many great patterned papers in February's kit and I really wanted to challenge myself to use entire sheets of paper rather than cut them all up!
So I came up with a simple little sketch that I hoped would help me use some of those patterned papers.
This was the first layout I made based on the sketch. I put a solid cardstock against the busy patterned paper to help my pictures & journaling stand out against the patterned paper.
I ended up using 2 pictures instead of just one.
And I made sure to mat them with a white border so that they too would stand out against the busy patterned paper.
I love that piece of plaid patterned paper (October Afternoon) and I think I managed to use it without the rest of my layout getting lost in it!
*****
This was the next layout I made.
I stayed very close to the sketch on this one and still used the solid cardstock to help set off my pictures & journaling from the busy patterned paper.
{how cute is my little grandmother??!!}
*****
And one more layout using the sketch...
I detoured a little more from the sketch on this one.
I got crazy and centered everything instead of having everything on the right side of the layout!!
{hehehe}
The background paper here (Jenni Bowlin) is not quite as bold & busy as the patterned papers I used on the previous layouts.
So I took the liberty of using a couple other subtle patterned papers to anchor the picture & journaling rather than using plain cardstock.
I like how the picture still manages to stand out though!
{or maybe that is because there are a couple of goofballs in the picture so you can't help but notice it!}
*****
Well I hear that February kits should be in your hands by now!
Enjoy it!
It's a good one!
And if you need a sketch to get you going, I hope you will use this one!
Link us up in the comments here if you make something.
I would love to see it!
:)
gretchen

12 comments:

  1. I like your challenge. I too love the busy papers but will hold off scrapping them because I don't want to cut into them. OR if I cut them down it looses the appeal. I love your sketch, it totally works. TFS

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  2. I'm not a fan of big multi-colored prints...I almost never use them! Monochromatics all the way... ;)

    Love your layouts! :)

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  3. These are fantastic!! I love papers of all kinds!

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  4. Great sketch - and layouts!!! Cant wait to get home & give it a try!!!

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  5. Love the different looks you created with this sketch...it's a great one! Awesome job using PP backgrounds with these kit papers! :)

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  6. *love* your post, Gretchen! Pattern paper intimidates me, too! Don't be surprised if that sketch makes its way into my assignments for this month... ;)

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  7. Wow! Nice work Gretchen! I love your layouts anyway you put them together but these really rock the Feb kit!!!

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  8. wonderful sketch!!
    I did enjoyed it!!
    Here is mine
    Thank you!

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  9. Gretchen...AWESOME inspiration! I think this is something many people struggle with. I LOVE putting fun big pattern prints in the kits and I am so thrilled that you challenged yourself and everyone else to use them in all their glory! THANK YOU!!!

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  10. LOOOOOOOOVE these sketches!! So fun--and each of them are different! I love that first one--super job on all the details and embellies! Love the papers and the pic of the second one! LOVE the journaling and how you moved part of the sketch to the center on the third! LOVE LOVE LOVE!! All of them!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog--your comment made me smile:) I'm glad you stopped by--now I get to rss feed to your blog! LOVE IT! Blessings!

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  11. Great layouts! Thanks for the inspiration as always :) I'll be using that sketch for sure!

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  12. these are so great! i love pp for a background...love that sketch, too

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