Scrapbook Friday - Layout 4

Still working with my original 5 design paper sheets and some cardstock. Today we will explore a little how much a cardstock color can enhance your pictures. We will also have a closer look at what difference matting and positioning of photos can do to your layout.

So these were my pictures for this double page layout. All uncut and just bunched together. Looking good right? So just adhere them down and move on....well we could do that, but how much fun is this? First I started to sort them so I could get a better idea of how many photos would end up on each page.

I used CTMH "Bluebird" cardstock for my page base. I did pick the lighter side of the cardstock which came pretty close to the sky color of my photos. In the second closeup picture you can actually see how much the pictures are being absorbed by the cardstock. It is actually a pretty cool effect. 

I ended up using 5 pictures per page and tossed two which were just to similar to the ones I am going to use. Next, well I needed to cut them to a more manageable size.

My pictures on the left are cut at:

5 3/4" x 3 3/4" (2x), 4"x4", 3 1/2"x3 1/2" and 3"x3"

My pictures on the right are cut at:

5 3/4"x3 3/4", 4"x4" and 3"x3" (3x)

Here you can see the pictures cut and arranged on the cardstock. On the left side I arranged the square ones from smallest to biggest. Flush with the left side which off-sets them to the right. The square pictures on the right page are just spaced in a row.

The positioning of the middle pictures on each side is still up in the air.

Papers needed for this layout:

- 2 sheets of 12"x12" cardstock in "Bluebird" (Close to My Heart)

- 1 piece of 9"x12" design paper cut in an angle (see cutting guide)

- 1 strip of 1/2"x12" design paper cut in half 

- 1 strip of 1/2"x12" design paper cut in 3" pieces (4x)

- 1 sheet of white cardstock

I used for the two strips of 1/2"x12" the border strips of our Close to My Heart design papers. Love these strips. One side has the paper pack information on it and the other side is a design element matching the papers from this package.

First I placed the design paper on the pages and added the photos back on it. Remember to move your pieces around. Try placing the design paper on the inside or the top or bottom of your page. Move the pictures too and see what works best for you.

I often get asked when to use mats under pictures and when to use the pictures without them. I think I have here a good example to show you the difference. So far this layout looks good and yes, we could leave the pictures without a mat. The pictures positioned on the design paper pop out, but for my taste the middle ones seem to blend in too much. While three pictures have clouds to lift them up from the page color, the bottom left one is getting absorbed. 

So what would be the solution here? Yes, let's try some matting...simple white cardstock works perfectly. I cut my mats at 6"x4" (3x) and 4 1/4"x4 1/4". 

If I cut the mats at 6"x4" I can get 6 mats per sheet of paper. 

If you leave your picture at 6"x4" (which by the way my prints often not exactly match) you can only get 4 mats per sheet...so I rather cut 1/4" or less of my pictures ;-)

Now what do you think? Compare the two pictures, which one looks better? Pictures without the white mats or with the white mats? I like the white matting the best. The page looks more finished and the pictures are standing out.

But before I can get started adhering the photos to the page I like to play a bit more with my composition. While the pictures on the sides are pretty well set, I move the middle ones around. How do they look on the bottom or maybe set apart? Or maybe offset? I need to leave room for journaling and maybe a title too. 

After playing around for a while I decided that placing the pictures offset is the best for my taste. To further connect my pictures on the sidelines I placed a few small pieces of paper between them before I adhered my photos to the page.Two small stipes of paper on the top and bottom of the pages and I think this layout is done.

Here is the final layout:

Yes, like with the rest of the layouts so far, we will be coming back to them to add journaling and other embellishments. But this will be at the end when I have used up my 5 sheets of design paper.

Attention:

If you decide to create this page, please change the following measurement on the cutting guide. The design paper should be cut at 9" x 12". When cutting the angle, the 12" is vertical and the 9" horizontal.