Basic Grey Challenge

Hello, My name is Kirstie and I am a Basic Grey addict. LOL! It certainly feels that way since the past week I have created two- two page layouts using nothing but Basic Grey paper. I would safely say I am over my "fear" of using too much patterned paper. LOL!

My challenge, if you choose to accept, is to use more than three different Basic Grey papers in one layout. Go wild. Have fun. Let the creative genius in you come out and play.

In love with Basic Grey...

Have you ever come across a paper line that just spoke to you when you first laid eyes on it? Well, that is what happened with me and Basic Grey. I am completely and totally NUTS about this brand. I love the paper and all the coordinating items. Basic Grey just feels different and looks different than other lines. Even the "girly" papers from Basic Grey have a certain "earthy" element to them. If you haven't tried to use Basic Grey, why not give it try?

This two page layout was created last night for my CJ group. The theme of this CJ was "Femininity" so I decided to use Basic Grey Lollipop for this layout. In this layout, I used six different types of patterned paper. I believe this is definately a record amount for me. The journaling is the song "I feel pretty" from the West Side Story. I just couldn't resist putting that in this layout. LOL!

Patterned Paper Titles

Yesterday, I was out sick with a sinus infection. Ughh! I can deal with just about anything but sinus headaches are the worst. But will a trip to the doctor and a few shots later, I am feeling pretty well today.

As I was thumbing through my layouts on Tuesday evening, I noticed a disturbing trend. I was using patterned paper in a lot of my layouts. But there was one area that had no patterned paper...My titles! My titles were always stamps, rub ons, cardstock, etc. So I thought this layout would be a perfect opportunity to use patterned paper for my title. It adds a nice "punch" to the page! Don't you agree?

Freestyle Fun

I have been in a fun and funky mood lately. On From Here to Scrapternity, this weeks journaling challenge was called "Writing on the Wall". Our mission, if we chose to accept it, was to write on the photo. Yes, I know, most scrapbookers would balk at this challenge and say "That's just crazy". But I LOVED the idea of it and welcomed the challenge with open arms. Too often, a great picture presents itself for a more artsy approach and majority of us just crop and mount tue picture to the paper without a second thought. Doing this challenge made me appreciate freestyle more and brought me further outside my "comfort" box.

Doodling Mania

Lately, I have been on a real doodling" kick" with my layouts. I just love the "personal" touch that doodling provides a layout. The layout "Sweetest Dreams" was created for a DT submission where the criteria was flowers, doodling, and stitching. I was fortunate enough to be in the "right place at the right time" to capture our youngest son smiling in his sleep.

In June, this same layout was "Layout of the Day" on 2 Scrappy Chicks. ( Love that website...great women who bring scrapbooking to a whole new level...awesome layouts...great inspiration and challenges). If you have visited, 2 Scrappy chicks (http://www.2scrappychicks.com) then go by and visit today. You will be glad that you did.

Using Multiple Pictures Creatively

Are you stuck in a multiple pictures layout rut? Do you seem to be using multiple pictures in the same way on your layouts? I have the solution to this ever present problem. Think of the smaller pictures as embellishments.

When you look at the smaller pictures as embellishments a world of possibilities open before your eyes. One possibility is to put the picture in a tiny decorated slide frame. Another possibility is to use paint or chalk to distress the picture and then put the picture in a title or other unique location.

In this two page layout, I wanted to incorporate a lot of pictures of my son smiling, laughing and having fun to go along with the "theme" of the layout. So rather than putting a bunch of pictures on the page, I put the smaller pictures (ones of just his facial expressions) in decorated slide frames. I used the frames as embellishments to enhance the page. The frames add to the mood of the page and do not distract the viewer from the main pictures in the layout.

Layout Simplicity

Too often in scrapbooking, I see layouts that are just overdone whether it be too much patterned paper or too many embellishments. This is often a common mistake amongst beginning scrapbookers as well as advanced scrapbookers alike. With some pictures, less is truly more. The pictures should do the "explaining" therefore adding a lot of embellishments or patterned paper to a page would just drawn the attention away from the picture. If you have a picture that speaks a thousand words to those who view it, try doing a more simplistic layout.

Freestyle Newbie

I really love the edgy,creative look of a Freestyle layout. It is so refreshing and for me, very challenging. Often I am so thinking "what will others think" that composing a layout in Freestyle form allows me to just create and have fun. On From Here to Scrapternity, we were each given a "kit" that included the same various items such as ribbon, cloth, rub on's, patterned paper, cardstock, etc. Our task was to create a one or two page layout that used as many of these items as we could. So I took this as an opportunity to make a freestyle type LO. Not too shabby for a first timer! LOL!

No Patterned Paper Allowed

Recently, I noticed nothing but patterned paper in all my new layouts. I chuckled to myself and thought "You, my dear, are in a creative 'rut' ". So I decided to challenge myself and create scrapbook layouts with no patterned paper allowed. EKKK! My poor Basic Grey, K I Memories, Junkitz, and Wild Asparugus paper will not be used for a couple of layouts.

This is one of my attempts at creating a layout with the "no patterned paper allowed" rule in effect.

I was pleased with this layout because the color not only match the picture but the color combination works well for the layout as a whole.

This is only a test

If this had been an actual post...it would be better. LOL!