I'm introducing a new feature on the blog that I hope will become a monthly deal. :) I adore patterned paper. I love creating it and I love scrapping with it. I've learned, though, that not everyone is like me and some people are overwhelmed by the thought of using really bold papers in their layouts. I love that if you narrow your focus to just one or two papers you can really stretch your kits and make some really different (and yet still beautifully coordinating) looks. I've asked some my friends to help me illustrate some different ways you can use patterned papers and I've also asked for their thoughts on how they like to highlight really bold designs and make them work for them.
Sometimes patterned papers can seem intimidating. In digital, we rarely have the luxury of buying our paper sheet by sheet so often we "come home" with way more than we need. Our paper collections grow and we end up spending more money sometimes because we buy an entire pack just for a few pieces of paper that we really like. Not every paper has to be a scene-stealer and not every bold paper has to dominate a layout. Let's try and get the most out of our paper! I've found that if you start looking at your paper stash in terms of individual pieces of paper rather than collections, you can get more use out of them. You can start seeing them for their uniqueness and you can also stretch your stash and make better use of your hard earned (and spent!) cash! :)
My scrapping buddies and I want to share a few tricks we employ when using really bold patterns. Today we're focusing on 2 papers from my Caldera kit, the blue stripe/dot and the red stripe/dot.
From me:
layout credits: Caldera kit, scrap canvas 5, flower from La Vie en Rose kit (not yet released)
"One of my favorite tricks for an instantly bold and graphic (yet deliciously simple!) layout is to use one fabulous solid and one really dramatic pattern. In small doses, the patterned paper really helps to focus your eye on the one spot where you want it to go. A tiny bit more in an opposite corner helps to balance the design as well as give the eye a bit more to take in while wandering around the page."
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From Gennifer (genuinepea):
"Sometimes, with a great photo, keeping it simple is key. A boldly patterned paper can really set the mood of your page, giving it energy and life. To avoid overpowering things, I like to keep it in small doses, since a little goes a long way."
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From Jenn (Jennstar):
layout credits: Caldera kit, Feltabet by Miss Mint (date), Boo to You by Gina Cabrera (staple & J), Sugar Sugar by Zoe Pearn (ric rac), scroll work by Mindy Terasawa (color challenge), font is Loved by the King
I love using bright colors and fun patterns on my layouts. Using them as a "splash" of visual interest ensures that I'm not taking away from my photos and that my layouts are not too busy. I think it's a great way to produce layouts that have a very fun and inviting appearance and begs the viewer to sit a while longer and flip though our memories.
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From Shimelle:
layout credits: caldera kit, totally framed vol. 1
"I love busy patterns with high contrast, but I also love to use a grouping of smaller photos on a page. I have to be careful that the bold papers don't overtake the pictures! The key for me comes in balancing them with a paper that is more neutral, so the two red Caldera papers are balanced by the grey fishnet pattern in between. Instead of a plain old rectangle of patterned paper (like I would tend to do on my paper layouts -- because it's quick!), I used a digital file folder as a clipping mask to add a little extra fun to the focus of the page."
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From Michelle (rynonutmom):
layout credits: Caldera kit
From Jan:
"I love the way Michelle's layout highlights the amazing colors of her photo. By keeping her color choices down to 2, she's managed to create an energetic, yet not too busy layout. That's hard to achieve using 5 patterned papers!"
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Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you've enjoyed our little bit of sharing and scrapping! Thank you so much to the lovely ladies who helped me put this segment together. I'm very grateful to you for taking time out of your busy days for this! Happy scrapping everyone! :)
