Scrapbook Sketch

Sketches can be a very useful starting point for both scrapbook pages and cards.  For this sketch, I’ve kept things pretty simple.  The main part of the sketch is a photo collage, which allows you to vary the size and placement of your photos.  You can crop as little or as much as you want, and you don’t have to worry about lining up all of your photos perfectly.  Then write or print your journaling on strips of cardstock, and arrange them on your collage.

A punched or die-cut border at the bottom and (optionally) at the top is an effective way to focus attention on all the photos in your collage.  An oversized die-cut behind the mat under the photos breaks up the solid color background paper.  Finally, add a simple title and three embellishments to form a visual triangle, and you’re done!

I chose to create a double-page Christmas layout with a “present” theme.  Brenda Walton’s Peppermint Twist patterned paper was just what I needed to add some pizzazz to my solid background.  The large die-cuts and bottom borders were cut with my Cricut Expression using the Walk in My Garden cartridge.  I used my Fiskar’s Threading Water border punch and Martha Stewart's Gingerbread Trim edge punch to create unique embellishments out of coordinating scraps of paper.  I cut the title using the Alphalicious cartridge and added a few buttons as a finishing touch.

I hope you are inspired by this sketch to create your own fast, fun, and easy layouts this month.  You’ll be finished so quickly that you’ll have more time to spend making memories than trying to scrapbook them.  Happy scrapping!