Scrapbooking Tutorials & Techniques

As autumn approaches, the fashion runway embraces a fusion of medieval opulence, Renaissance aesthetics, and a bohemian twist. Rich jewel tones and intricate organic patterns dominate, showcased through sumptuous fabrics such as velvet, lace, and jacquard. Scrapbook papers will mimic these fabrics and can be layered for beautiful pages. Garments are adorned with delightful vintage-inspired details, exuding an effortless and carefree vibe and your scrapbook pages can be too! Envision an enchanting scrapbook page featuring a black crushed-velvet paper adorned with satin bows, a ethereal French vanilla cardstock enhanced with ruching and embroidery, a garnet red lace embellished with ribbon roses and cascading fringe, or a tapestry handbag adorned with buckles and beads. By following the color, texture, pattern, and accessory choices of fashion designers, you can effortlessly incorporate this trend into your scrapbook pages.

Creating Your Pages

Create a lavish layout base by adhering rows of gold-shot jacquard ribbons to paper with strong double-sided tape. Use a palette of garnet, ruby and copper in conjunction with buckles, pearl buttons and tiny beads to construct a dreamy medieval mood to complement the photos and page theme. Burgundy velvet works with copper crushed paper and paint to balance the intricate ribbons.

Bohemian Rhapsody Defined

Whether you prefer simple or intricate layouts, you can apply bohemian rhapsody style to your pages. Mix the style’s characteristic elements of color, texture, pattern and accessories to express your own bohemian soul.

Color:  Start by picking a color palette. Choose gemstone hues in vibrant combinations with black , chocolate brown and matte metallics as base neutrals. Pick deep shades-ruby and garnet reds, carnelian orange, topaz yellow, emerald and peridot greens, sapphire blues, and amethyst and iolite purples.

Texture: Tactile and tempting describe the textures that work together to create this lux look. Visit a fabric store to touch and feel the materials in the dressy section and ribbon aisle. Look for ingredients such as velvet, lace, satin, beaded and woven trims, tassels , tulle, appliques, tapestry florals, ornate buttons and upholstery gimping.

Pattern:  Envision historical patterns from medieval, Renaissance and Victorian eras such as paisley; fleur-de-lis, soft geometrics and robust florals. Juxtapose and layer patterns to create sumptuous backdrops. Add polish to the layers with stitching or beading, embossing the edges or distressing with sandpaper or ink.

Accessories: To finish your design in grand style, add the dimension and shine of well chosen embel­ lishments. Ribbons of all kinds are the perfect match, so·use them generously as borders and fringe and for corset lacing. Matte metals add a timeless touch in the form of charms, frames, buckles, photo comers, clips, hinges and decorative brads. Add a bit of spar­ kle with beads and buttons. Other appropriate pieces include skeleton and velvet leaves, enameled frames and plaques, silk or paper florals, and ephemera.

If you are a beginner, keep it simple by combining ready-made products like metal frames, photo comers and vintage-style buttons with velvet papers and woven rose ribbon for texture and dimension. Use a die-cut script alphabet to cut letters from red velvet for a fast yet elegant title.

If you are an intermediate scrapper, build upon the simple version by adding distinctive details. Create a faux wax seal, a vignette of collaged ephemera and an embossed title. Cover a large slide mount with velvet paper for a custom frame.

If you are an advanced scrapper, make a deluxe version by creating unique handmade accents. Use rl.1bber stamps and platinum extra thick embossing enamel to create faux metal embellishments. Finish the page with a title hand cut from red velvet.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of the bohemian style. I would love to see how you incorporate the bohemian style into YOUR scrapbooks!

How do you scrap the same subject, but different years?  I have 4 pictures, 2 are one year, and the other two could be the same year, but I have no way of knowing. Since I tend to use more two page layouts than single ones, I decide to just do one two-page layout since I didn’t want to only have one photo on the page. After all, these are from when normal printing was 3 ½ x 5. That leaves waaay to much empty space in my mind. I put the two I knew the year, and the similarity of the child on the horse, the other two were relagated to the right side, where, if my aunt found other reunion pictures, she could add them to this page pretty easily. The journal box was attached with removable adhesive so if she did need the space, she could remove it.

The title I took from an old piece of 8½ x 11 scrapbook paper. I knew I wouldn’t use it, as I stick to 12 x 12 pages, but I thought it was perfect for the page. I used the same color to ink around the title as the background paper color to give it a softer look.  I also used the tearing technique to give a little demension to the page. I am still thinking about putting a large green tree on the right page, over the torn pieces.

If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a text at 801-800-0884. Send me a copy of your completed layout and I will put your name in the drawing for a free stamp set at the end of the month.

Did this sketch help in scraping the same subject but different years question for you? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Creatively, Carol

Scrapbooking baby pictures is fun. Today I am going to show you a layout done completely on the computer.  Digital scrapbooking use to be very popular, but I was always a hands on type of scrapbooker. To me it is therapy… cutting the paper, stamping the images. If I am following directions to complete the scrapbook page, then I am not thinking about whatever might be weighing my mind down. If you have lots of children and you want to scrap pictures of grandma

that everyone will want in their album, then you can create the layout on the computer and print a copy for each of them.

Here I scanned a piece of scrapbook paper from the Scaredy Cat paper pack from a few years ago. In keepig with the stars motif, I used black stars to highlight Shawn’s name, and used a font color included in the paper. My computer program grabbed the color, but it almost looks peachy instead of golden when put on the black.  I will be creating this layout on paper to go in my cousin’s album. This way I know the colors will match. But I wanted to show you what is possible. This is a great way to scrapbook if you need lots of copies of your pages, or you just don’t have time to do it in paper.

Send me your take on this scrapbooking baby layout at Contest@CreativelyCarol.com and be entered to win a free stamp set!  If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out, I would love to help.

Creativey, Carol

Here is a great way to tie colors and layers together. I want to share with you another layout I completed for my Aunt to give me cousin. Here are several pictures of the friends in the neighborhood where he grew up.  Using a block E size stamp set, I was able to stamp the title “Friends & Neighbors” and stagger friends  down the left side. IThey would not fit straight down, but I think the staggered look is fun, and since this age group is fun, it worfks.

I have a mini-file folder for hidden journaling where  Shawn can add what he remembers about his friends and neighbors.  I used a border stamp to make the complete line of decoration down the center of the left page and across the right one. A creative way to tie two different colors of cardstock together as you will notice on the left side is to punch some connecting holes and thread ribbon to appear to hold the sides together. using knots instead of bows makes it a bit more masculine. The same element idea appears on the top center of the companion page. Stamping across the top strip gives it interest, but does not compete with the colorful stamped border across the center.  I will include a stamped, lined piece of cardstock incase he wants to list his friends names under the sleepover page.

What do you think of this layout? Leave a comment below and give me your thoughts,

Creatively, Carol

I have been asked by someone dear to me to create a scrapbook for her son, who I also adore, so I said yes. In the box was an assortment of school photos. While I could have done a page for each year, I thought that would be just too much when I didn’t know the details of his likes and dislikes while he was in school so I opted for putting all of them on a 2-page layout.

I simply labelled the corner with the age, using all the same font and ink to keep it cohesive. Since this is all elementary school and Jr high, it leaves the ability to structure the high school years in another way.

Don’t you just hate unfinished projects? I cut the pieces for this layout over a month ago, but since it required I get out the cuttlebug and cut the small papers with the Thin Cuts® I just set it aside for later. Well, later has arrived and I am calling Fridays “UNFINISHED FRIDAYS”.  Every Friday I will pull out a project that has gone unfinished and get it done. You will then see the finished project on my facebook page.

Today’s layout was from a kit called “Celebrating You.”  I had to search for the pictures which I had already had printed through Persnickety Prints which is the same company that prints your free photos if you subscribe to the Scrap with Heart Program.  They do beautiful work. Like I was saying before I got distracted, I had to find the pictures I was going to use.  If I had been smart, I would have put them in the drawers with the papers I had previously cut.

This layout took a bit more work on my part. I had to actually mark my papers to know where to put the triangles.

I thought I had found a way to save the wear and tear on the magnetic mat I use with my cuttlebug. The directions said to stack the squares, and when I cut them, it didn’t damage the mat at all, but then I had to manually cut all the cuts apart because it didn’t cut all the way through. I will try this again, with perhaps more thickness in my stack, as not damaging the magnetic mat would be an awesome savings.

I hope you will join me each Friday for “Finish It Up Friday” and work on those unfinished projects.  Send me a photo of your finished project and get entered into the monthly drawing for a free stamp set. Send it to Carol@CreativelyCarol.com and I will post it here on the blog.

Now go check out my facebook page and see the finished layout!