Sketch Week, Part 4

Are you ready for a little Christmas in August? Day four shows a fun way to incorporate the theme of the layout into the design, one of my favorite things to do. :)

The sketch that I'm using as the starting point for all five layouts this week.

Layout #4 - "Merry Christmas"

Supply List - Cardstock; Bazzill; Everything else; My Mind's Eye from both the Holly Jolly and I Believe collections.

You can definitely tell from this layout that I don't scrap in order. We've spent the last month or so in a nasty heat advisory so it was kind of nice to think about cold days while making this layout.

• Variation #1
I followed a similar pattern with the last two layouts and used larger photos in place of the wallet size photos suggested on the sketch. I love the wallet size photos but I'm all about making what I have work and ended up with the same situation as the I did with the layout yesterday. I didn't have enough vertical photos for the wallet size so I replaced them with two horizontal 4 x 6 photos. Plus the cookies with Drew's note to Santa picture was one I didn't want in a smaller size. I love that part of our Christmas day story.

Another change with the pictures on this layout is the two smaller photos in place of the vertical 4 x 6 photo on the sketch. The two photos could also be replaced with one horizontal 4 x 6 photo.

• Variation #2
Since I added two photos in place of the one vertical 4 x 6 I lost most of the space for my journaling since I add two more inches to the width of the photo space. BUT in doing this I also removed two inches from the height. This left me plenty of space for my journaling.

Don't be afraid to remove something on a sketch and put something else in it's place. Variation 2 is a great example of that. Pictures can be substituted with embellishments or patterned papers, journaling spots with pictures, embellishments with journaling or pictures, etc. As long as you are following the general design of the sketch it will all turn out just fine.

• Variation #3
In place of the three patterned paper strips on the left page I created hanging ornaments with chipboard embellishments and hand stitched lines.


You all know how I love to play off the theme of my page and add embellishments like this! One of the first things I do when I start working on the layout is think about what ways I can incorporate the theme into my design. It could be:
• splashes or waves on a water page (like my "Sweet Splashin'" layout)
• fireworks on a 4th of July page
• a Christmas tree or ornaments on a Christmas page (like today's layout)
• a worm, yes, I have actually made a worm out of scrapbooking supplies on a page about Drew playing with worms
• a curvy hose on a page with kids running through a sprinkler
• snowflakes falling down the page on a wintery layout

• Variation #4
Because the ornaments took up a lot more space than the three patterned paper strips on the sketch, I decided not to add the circles that are suggested on the sketch. The ornaments worked to fill in that area without needing to add anymore. I think adding another embellishment in that area would have been too much.

• Variation #5
I know I say it all the time but, just because it is suggested on the sketch doesn't mean you have to do it. You can always substitute what you have on hand. I didn't use a die cut patterned paper as suggested on the sketch but instead used a piece of patterned paper. The paper is the same measurement suggested it just doesn't have the decorative touch to it like a die cut piece does. To make up for the lack of that decorative edge die cut patterned papers have, I added two patterned paper strips to decorated that edge.

• Variation #6
I also added more papers by the striped stripe that goes across the lower section of the layout. Above it I added a small strip and below it a scallop border. This is an easy way to add your own touch to a sketch. Adding extra papers is a breeze. Especially on a layout like this where that area wasn't going to mess with the photo layout design.


Day four is the fourth day for a chance at the My Mind's Eye and Sketches for Scrapbooking giveaway!