Friday, July 9, 2010

Sketch Week, Part 5

The last layout of Sketch Week is one that you might not immediately notice that it's based off the sketch and it's definitely the simplest version of the week.

The sketch that I'm using, from our DVD - Stretch Your Scrapbooking, as a starting point for all five layouts this week.



Layout #5 - "Balloon Boy"


Supply list - Cardstock and border strip: Bazzill; Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye, KI Memories, Crate Paper, and Fancy Pants; Alphabets: American Crafts; Word stickers: Creative Imaginations and Making Memories; Chipboard circle: Scenic Route

Variation #1 - The photos are probably the biggest variation from the sketch on this layout. I had so many pictures of Drew and the balloons that I want to include on the layout and most of them were ones that I didn't want to crop down.

On the right page I used two 4 x 6 photos. On the sketch it shows the 4 x 6 photo placed just above the striped strip but since I wanted to include two I moved one down to leave room for the one above it. This way I had plenty of room for two photos and the title. The photos still has the same 6" width as suggested on the sketch but the height went from 4" to 8"

On the left page I varied quite far from the sketch, kind of. I kept two of the 4 x 4 photos but substituted two 4x 6 photos for the other suggest 4 x 4 photos. I still kept the 8" width of the photo group but the height moved up to 10".

Overall, I extended the height of the photo layout of the sketch while keeping the same width as suggested. I think there are always ways to add more or substitute larger photos on a sketch. This was an easy way to add more (3 more!) 4 x 6 photos.

Variation #2 - Rounded corners are a great and easy way to change the look of a sketch. I rounded the corners on all of the photos on my layout.

Variation #3 - Since I extended the height of the photo areas it would have been almost pointless for me to add the large background circle on the sketch. The pictures would have ended up covering most of it plus I didn't want the colors on this page to end up being too much. Remember the other day when I talked about how you have to be careful with what paper you use for the big circle? Well, this falls into that same category. The pictures and the balloons are so colorful that I was afraid adding in too much more would have made the layout overwhelming with bright colors. This way the photos really stand out on the plain cardstock.

Variation #4 - I also changed the striped strip and the scallop strip to fit the extra photos and to make more room for my balloons on the left page. I went with a smaller width of the stripe and then added a border strip on top of it instead of below it. I knew that if I did the suggested 2" striped strip my balloon strings would have to overlap onto it and most likely would have gotten lost in the stripe pattern.

Variation #5 - So lets say you want to save some time when using this sketch or maybe you have zero desire to add that many circles, this is probably the easiest solution. Try using a large embellishment in place of all those circles. It just so happened, not exactly planned that way, that my big embellishment ended up being made of circles, but you could use anything. A big flourish, a tree, a house, anything that is big and will cover, roughly, the same area as the circles on the sketch do.


I used different patterned papers to make the circles, added little triangles to the bottoms, and then stitched the little strings. For a few of the balloons I layered three different sized circles and used foam adhesive to give them some dimension. (You can read this post to learn a little bit more about how to make embellishments similar to these.) I also added some Stickles and word stickers to a few balloons for a finishing touch.

On the right page I added one lone balloon in place of the circles.


Variation #6 - Instead of writing my journaling directly on the page I used journaling strips. Mainly my reason for using strips was to cover up a lot of empty space in the 4 x 4 photo beside the journaling area. It was so distracting and with journaling strips I could cover some of it up.

Today is the last chance for the giveaways! Be sure to check back on Monday to see if you've won either the Pink Paislee package or the copy of Sketches for Scrapbooking. I'll also be posting the date for August Sketch Week.

Have a great weekend! :)

72 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the balloons...will definitely be using this idea. Thanks!
~Julie V.

Anonymous said...

Oops! Thought the first one didn't go through. :(

Christine said...

very cute!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for another week of sketches. It never fails that I learn some new "trick" during sketch week. Love how you went from a complicated layout to one that is so simple...yet the same layout. You are amazine!

Linda from KS

Anonymous said...

Rounding the corners on all the photos made such an impact. Love the stitching, too. Awesome, happy layout!
~Erika

Mary Bez said...

Thanks so much for this sketch week! As always, I have learned some more from you....Love your blog.

Amy said...

Another great sketch week - sorry to see it end but I know next month will be here before we know it. Love this layout! Lots going on but it has a nice clean look.

Melanie said...

Wow--has the week already gone by? I love seeing how your layouts varied even though they all started with the same sketch. Thanks for your detailed explanations. Enjoy your weekend :)

dawn said...

This is so cute and fun. I love the ideas of balloons and the stitiching you did.Great use of photos also. Thanks so much for all you do during this week for us. I love love this sketch and now I see so many ideas to use on my layouts. This week went by too fast for me as always. Have a great weekend and see you on Monday.

Cheerios626 said...

The variations are AMAZING! The balloons were super cute as well!! I love this LO.

JodyJane said...

Again, WOW! It never fails that I learn something new from you and the sketches. I think this one is my favorite of the week!

Jody B. said...

Loving the balloons. Great idea. Thanks for all the inspiration this week.

Just Sew Sue said...

As always I love the stitched detail. Love the dimension given to the ballon by stacking the three different sizes of circles.

Anonymous said...

Since we celebrate with balloons a lot this is a great layout for me to scraplift. Love the layered balloons.

Kathy R

Ginny H said...

Love the stitched balloon strings! Adorable LO!

Miranda said...

The stickles make a big difference in those balloons...need to incorporate those in more of my layouts.

Anonymous said...

I like how you snuck in the 4x6 pictures. Sometimes I just can't crop them down... I like the extra details like the hand stitching on the balloon strings, layers to the balloons, etc...And I still totally see the sketch though. Thanks for the great week of ideas.

Amy S. (Tx)

Marcia S said...

Great layouts this week. Thanks for showing us how to adapt these sketches and what goes through your mind as you create.

Kelly said...

Perfect variation for the topic of your photos! I love the layered circles!

Laura J said...

Super cute! I love the balloons, especially your handstitched "strings"! The layering of some circles is great...I'm going to try that on a layout I'm working on right now!

Janelle H. said...

I can't believe the week is over already! I really like the dimensional balloons, stitching and rounded corners on this one. So many ideas...so little time! Thanks for another great week!

Shari Thurman said...

I liked seeing all your big pics. Sometimes it's difficult to crop the photos. Love your homemade embellishments. Stitching looks great.

Julie said...

I always take close up photos so I have a hard time cropping them. This is a great variation of the sketch! Thanks again for another week!

Amy Powell said...

Hands down my favorite for the week! I love the bright colors and the pictures are ADORABLE!

Stella said...

Love those bright, primary colors! It makes for such a happy page. I really like the way you layered the circles on the balloons too!

nanapatty said...

I appreciate how you explain moving the borders and embellishments around to accommodate different photos.

Robin W. said...

I just had to say how much I enjoy your sketch week, but please don't enter me for the giveaways since I won not too long ago. This week's sketch looked complicated, yet you broke it down day by day using your examples making it seem doable. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us each month!!

TerriB said...

I love thsi sketch - simple and beautiful!

CodyandTraci said...

Thank you for all the inspiration. I have many ideas floating through my head that should keep me busy until next month. Thanks again! Traci

Penny Peck said...

ALL of the lay-outs this week were tremendous! Thanks so much for giving me lots of ideas so I don't just stare for hours at my pictures wondering what to do with them!

Wendy said...

Another beautiful page! I love the simplicity of it and the rounded corners gives it that little extra something!

Musings by Me said...

I love the balloons you made! Such a cute LO.

Scrapthat said...

OH MAN! I love your balloon strings stitching!! AWESOME!
I also love the rounded corners!
Ali...I need your help...I have tons of pics to catch up on on scrapping...I MUST win a sketch book! :) LOL TFS I love this week of your various takes on a sketch!

reen said...

Really festive layout. It just amazes me how you can take one sketch and make so many original layouts from it.

Amy from KC said...

I like the clean feeling of this layout. I would say simple, but there are a lot of subtle touches that keep it from being simple: the rounded corners on the pictures, the roundness of the balloons and the title fonts really work together to make the LO cohesive. The stitched balloon strings are subtle. There is a lot going on on this layout, but overall the look is clean.


I have really enjoyed this sketch this week, and how there is a whole continuum of levels of ways to implement it. Can't wait to see the LO's all together on Monday!

Christa Allgood said...

Love it!! I learnd this layered balloon trick from you at Scrap-A-Palooza and have used it many times...for balloons and crumpled round flowers! Such a great idea and so easy!

Christel said...

Another awesome layout for Sketch Week. I love how you used both vertical and horizontal 4x6 photos and the dimensional balloons.

kimmcc69 said...

I loved all the layouts that you put together for this week's sketch week. Shows a great variation for the same sketch. Can't wait to see what you have for next month.

lesley said...

One of my favorite things on your layouts is the stitching you add. Always subtle but it adds so much to each page. I've gotta give that a try!!! :)

Christina said...

Love the rounded corners and the balloons!

debbie susee said...

So sad to see the end of sketch week. :(

Merri Lynn said...

such a fun and bright layout--the kind I like

AndreaFriebus said...

I love the balloon accents and your photos are fabulous!

Luv2talk said...

The quality of your hand stitching gets me everytime. Beautiful work and it makes it so personal. :)

shelley said...

i LIKE HOW YOU DID THE BALLOONS. VERY CUTE!!!!

connie said...

I can not believe today's the last day! I enjoy this week so much.

Tasha said...

This is so cute! Never would have thought about balloons, this sketch is really versatile.

kroller said...

I love this week! Thanks again for the great layouts! I love the "popped" up balloons and stitched strings. Thanks for showing us how to make each sketch work for our photos and supplies; so that we don't pass up a sketch just because what we have on hand doesn't work with the sketch exactly.

LouAnn said...

Love the balloons with stitched strings. What a great idea.

LouAnn

Unknown said...

I love the bright colors and the pattern paper choices!!! Very Fun:-)

Carmen said...

What a great idea for the balloons, I will definitly be using that. Very sad that sketch week is over but I could be a winner :) Thanks for sharing all your talents with us!

Samantha Taylor said...

I love the colors and all the dimension in the layout. Thanks for another fabulous sketch week!

Cheryl said...

Another great take on the sketch, Allison! Your detail work is amazing!

Stacy said...

All the layouts have been awesome this week! Very inspiring! Cant wait for the next sketch week!Until then, I have a few ideas for this sketch to try!

Marti said...

So cute!!! Love the balloons!
Thanks for another great sketch week!

Melanie said...

Great job. Love how you can see the sketch but it is adapted so easily.

Barbara Ferguson said...

LOVE how you switched up two of the photos from 4x4 to 4x6! And the journaling strips overlapping the photos is awesome! More great inspiration - THANKS!!

Kim M said...

I love what you did with the balloons, I so wish I had your creative mind!

Mandi said...

Super, super cute!!! I love what you did with this one and the balloons are SO adorable!

Robbin said...

You are amazing....I am anxiously awaiting sketchook six :) I ordered it with my birthday money, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!!!

Sharon said...

Love this one to!! You really seem to get your monies worth with these sketches!!! Now, if I can get my hands on one of these books....LOL

budletsmom said...

The balloons are so cute - never would have thought to create my own and the stitching again really makes it. I am going to have to do this on a birthday page.

mmspiker said...

Love, Love, Love sketch week! I always learn so much and can't wait to try out this sketch.

Melanie said...

Cute balloons! I need to make more of my own accents...thanks for the great idea! Another fabulous layout!

Steffanie said...

Such a fun, colorful layout! Love the balloons in place of the circles and also like the look of the rounded corners. You do amazing work, Ali!

Tiffany G. said...

Love, love, love the balloons!

Erica Hettwer said...

Ooooooooooh! I love the idea of a tree with this sketch!

KariLynn said...

Love the symplicity of the layout and how you used different sized photos. Thanks for a great week of inspiration!

Cindy Leggett said...

Love the balloons and how some of them are layered. Thanks for another great week and looking forward to next month.

Unknown said...

Totally going to scraplift this!
TFS!!

Michele Mc said...

The bright colors and balloon theme catch my attention and then the little details like the embellished balloons and stitched strings keep me looking! The rounded photo corners really go well with the round edges of the balloons. Sorry to see another sketch week come to an end, but you have given us a lot to work with and think about until next time!

Michele's Scrapy Creations said...

Wow! Love all the layouts you have done using the sketch. I'm still working on mine. Looking forward to more of your inspiration.