Sometimes I begin a page with a sketch I've drawn out before hand, sometimes I use an interior picture or color palette inspire me, and sometimes I just let the products do the talking. :) For this design, I began with the Webster's Page striped patterned paper with the preprinted decorative frame.
I cut the paper into a wide strip and decided to arrange my photo over it so that the frame was peeking out from underneath. I planned on adding my journaling or title to this space later on.
I usually begin a page from "front-to-back" so to speak. I find the paper or products that look best with my photo or convey the feeling I want the layout to have.
The photo looks lonely so I started to build layers behind it to give it more presence. A pink patterned paper frame around the photo and then another patterned paper layer behind the photo and Webster's strip to tie them together. Now it looks like this.
The background was looking plain and boring to me. So I pulled off the layers to add some paint and spray ink. I used Snow Storm Vibez and Cotton Candy Spritz by Shimmerz spritzed on the background. And then Weathered Wood Tim Holtz Crackle Paint to add a "frame" around the photo block.
I also added stitching to the previous polka dot patterned paper layer (I always stitch my layers individually, so I can still move them around if I'd like.) and then mounted that layer onto a piece of pink patterned paper.
Much better! :)
I was feeling good about it, so I decided to add my title and a few embellishments around the preprinted frame. The floral die cut underneath the title helps to ground it, as well as add a bit of solid color to that side of the page.
I wanted to bring the feeling of the fancy frame over to the left side of the page, so I added the Melissa Frances dimensional photo corner to the top left corner of my photo.
I also felt like I needed to create a visual triangle on this page with the pink color happening in the floral embellishment, photo matte, and title . . . so I added the pink label to the right of the photo. I like to add a few embellishments to "floating" pieces like that so they feel "held down" by something. Here I used a cameo embellishment and pebble sticker.
My page felt good, but it *needed* one more thing. After looking at it awhile, I decided that the blue felt too "heavy" to me. I wanted a lighter feeling to this page. I tucked in a few pieces of Lace Hambly Transparency and it did the trick!
Wah-lah! I'm done.
Added a bit of journaling and now I am ready to slip it into my album. :)
Here is an accompanying sketch for my sketch fans! ;)
Check back tomorrow for details on how I used Shimmerz Paints on the background and chipboard pieces on this page. :)
