 |
| Sparkle & Shine by Meredith Cardall |
Hey! You came back! Awesome. Today is our final work-out in the Get Fit Layout Lift series. In this work-out, we are going to combine some of our skills honed in earlier workouts and put the focus on two scrapbook layout trends - the journal-focused LO and clustering. Lace up those Scrappy Work-out Sneakers and.... "Let's Lift A Layout!!" *grunt grunt grunt grunt grunt*
*****
Step #1 - Select a background and a medium-sized photo.
**Trainer's Tip** - For great photo editing tools beyond the ones already found in your MMS Software, I like to use Picasa with their addition of "Picnik". Picnik has a lot of free photo editing tools and then "premium" ones that are available at a really low cost. In this photo, I used the free "cross-process" development tool and the vignette setting with a blueish black color.
*****
Step #2 - Let's get some more papers in there! I've made three over-lapping photo boxes on the right side of my LO. Then just drag and drop your background paper choices in! Don't forget shadowing. I think these are x:0 y:0, -80% Opacity, 5% Blur. I've also added a box behind the photo and will drag a paper in there too.
*****
Step #3 - Swirlies!
*****
Step #4 - Using monograms or word art, put something at the base of the photo. I've also added a sprinkle spill behind the word for more layers and to make a nice backdrop for the clustering and embellishments to come! I've temporarily grouped the monograms together so I can move the word around when I need to. I will ungroup it later so I can layer embellishments between the letters if I want.
*****
Step #5 - Embellishing embellishing embellishing. I myself am a minimalist by genetic design but I LOVE the look of clusters and layers. So I find I have had to figure out how to convince (force?!) my brain to let me just throw a bunch of things on there and let whatever happens happen. What happens in cluster-land, stays in cluster-land.
**Trainer's Tip** A good general embellishment rule, what you might want to try is to start big and get smaller. Using this LO as an example, I would start with the bigger flowers first and place them in the back layers. Then I would add medium sized flowers and then small flowers. Now I would go back and repeat with big/medium/small buttons. This kit came with little sparkles and sequins so I did those last to fill in the gaps and add that little extra pizazz. I think layering is key too and you can see I've tried to make use of the three papers on the side to layer in and out of as well. Vines and leaves are GREAT for layering and often look best tucked in the middle/back somewhere. I did them going up the side behind the second paper and one underneath the word "pretty". SHADOWING is also key. You need to spend time trying different settings and levels until you get the look you want.
*****
Step #6 - Journalling. In somewhat complicated situations like this, I find it helps to create several text boxes. I made one for the top half and a second for the bottom quarter of the page. I've left large blanks for certain words throughout the journalling to highlight those with tabs and a different font (see final LO picture or next step to see how that will turn out). You don't have to do this but it sure adds a nice *pop* to the page. You can never have enough good journal fonts and, as mentioned before, there are thousands available online for free. I've left a large margin around the outside because I know that later on I am adding a border around the outside. We're getting there team! Stay with me!
**Trainer's Tip** You might want to try to choose your font and size RIGHT AWAY. In complex journalling where you are dodging elements and photos, you will be fiddling with it forever if you just start with Arial size 10 and then switch fonts types and sizes. You can save yourself some trouble by deciding what you want first and then as you type you can make sure you are weaving around all the obstacles the first time.
*****
Step #7 - Here are the special words I have highlighted in my little journalling essay. I just used a tab box element from the kit and shadowed it. I picked a different font/color for the text I added over top. If you don't have tabs, you could make a little photo box or shape with rounded corners and fill it with a fave color or paper.
*****
Step #8 - As icing on the cake, I added a frame around the outside. You could do this right from the start but having an element that size on the LO really gets in the way for adding everything else and drives me CRAZY, so I wait until the end to top it on top. Don't have a frame? Try making your own like in the first work-out OR using stitching. You could even make a text frame by using the square text box option.
*****
I can't believe you stuck it out to the end! I'm so proud of you all and love the work you've been posting on our Facebook page. It was really fun to create these workouts and I hope they've helped.
Your challenge for today: Try using more embellishments than usual! Go for the gusto! Instead of just a few big ones, use a whole bunch of small ones! If you are looking for an extra challenge today, try journalling something less-than-perfect or challenging in your life right now... Break the cheerful scrapper mold and try a LO that lets out that thing (or things) that is really on your heart. I find scrapping can be very therapeutic and healing - like a visual journal of sorts.
You guys rock my scrappy world - thanks for all your feedback and hard work.
Jen
No comments:
Post a Comment