Sketch Week, Part 2

Are you ready for day two!?!

The sketch, from Sketches for Scrapbooking, Volume Four, that I have used as a starting point for each of my layouts.

Layout #3 - "Twisty Straw"

Supply list - Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper; Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye (yellow), Jenni Bowlin (red), October Afternoon (gray), BasicGrey (blue) and Sassafras Lass (cream dots); Alphabet stickers: Doodlebug Designs; Chipboard alphabet: American Crafts; Border strip: Bazzill Basics Paper; Word stickers: Creative Imaginations; Chipboard accents (cherries): Creating Keepsakes KOTM; Memory Thread: DMC

• Variation #1 - The three 2 x 2 photos across the top can be kind of a pain if you print 4 x 6 photos only or don't have access to smaller sized prints. Here's an option for those of you that might fall in that category. I used a 4 x 6 photo cropped down to 2 x 6 in place of the three 2 x 2 photos. This would work great for a photo of some scenery, like a pretty view or something that stretches across the whole photo, like the straw in mine.

Another thing I forgot to mention in my post yesterday about those three photos across the top, I would recommend using a foam adhesive to adhere them. Most likely the photos on your layout are all going to have a similar colors and scenes and the having those three photos raised up a little helps them to stand out and not get lost in the larger photos. You could also try edging them with ink or paint for the same reason.

• Variation #2 - I think it is possible, most of the time, to take a sketch and fit any amount of photos you need to on it. One thing I like to do to add a few more photos into a sketch is take one (or a few) of larger photos, with this sketch a 4 x 6, and instead use two smaller photos in it's place. I have two 3 x 4 photos in place of one of the 4 x 6 photos. It's still the same 4 x 6 size, it's just made up of two photos instead of one.

• Variation #3 - On each of the strips I rounded one corner, the outer corner on the end where it meets the other strips. (Most of my corners ended up covered but I used bigger embellishments than I had originally intended.) Little subtle variations like this is a great way to change up the sketch without much time or effort.

• Variation #4 - I added a pre-cut scallop border from Bazzill Basics Paper across the top of the bottom strip. Keeping the same design but adding little details like that is a great way to add your own style to a sketch.

• Variation #5 - Sometimes journaling strips just don't work. You might have a journaling block that came with the papers you're using or you have a lot to say and need to save space. With most sketches if they have journaling strips a journaling block will work as a substitution and vise versa. The journaling space is a great area to change things up. Plus I don't think you should ever fit your journaling to a sketch. The story is such an important part of the page and sometimes the pictures just don't tell it all by themselves. I had a longer story to tell on this layout and didn't want to cut it down so I could use strips in the space provided. Instead I used a block, with rounded corners to match the corners on the strips, and I was able to fit a lot more journaling.


• Variation #6 - I used stars again, like suggested on the sketch, but I also added a few little details like hand stitching and word stickers. On the bottom right I made a glass with a twisty straw just like the straw in the pictures. (You all know how much I love to make my own embellishments!)


How to make the glass with the straw:

• First I cut two 2 x 3 pieces out of a transparency sheet.
• Then I cut three pieces out of a patterned paper that also measured 2 x 3
• On each of the patterned papers, I used a ruler (on one of the 2" edges) and made a mark 1/4" in with a pencil on both sides. Then I used the ruler and made a line from the marks to the top corner above. This will give you the slanted cut. The bottom of the patterned paper piece should be 1 1/2" and the top should be 2"
• Now you can use one of the patterned paper pieces as a guide to cut the same slant on the transparencies.
• On the transparency for the front I cut a downward curve. You could use a circle as a guide for this but I just hand cut it.
• On the transparency for the back I cut an upward curve.
• Next I cut a little off the top of each patterned paper piece so that they could be layered. The tallest one is 2 3/4", the medium one 2 1/2", and the smallest one 2 1/4".
• I cut waves across the top of each patterned paper piece and then I edged everything with ink, (even the transparencies.)
• To piece it all together I started with the medium patterned paper piece and adhered it to the tallest patterned paper piece with foam adhesive.
• Before I added the shortest patterned paper piece I made my twisty straw by bending Memory Thread to match the straw in the pictures and then adhered it to the back of the shortest patterned paper piece.
• The shortest patterned paper piece is then added on top of the medium piece with foam adhesive.
• I then added the transparency with the downward curve to the front.
• The last piece to add is the transparency on the back with the downward curve. Line up the top edge with the point on each side of the front transparency. The bottom of the back transparency won't go all the way to the bottom of the whole piece but that's okay since it's on the back.

Day two means it's your second chance at the giveaway! :)