Fun With Sketches

When I started scrapping a little over a year ago now I used sketches exclusively. The thought of not using a sketch scared me to death! I mean this 12x12 paper was completely blank and where to start was a mystery. Maybe you've been in that place before, maybe you are there now. But I always find using a sketch now like coming home. It's like being all grown up and visiting, the home I grew up in  with big girl eyes and remembering all the things I loved about being there. And then I use the sketch and put it away and glad I can go to my big girl home called full reign creativity. I love using sketches now still but find I change them so much most of the time. I love being able to do whatever I want on a page, but because of sketches I understand why things look good where they do. 

Paper Issues had a crop this past weekend, and when I seen they had a sketch challenge I knew for sure that was one challenge I needed to do. It is a simple sketch but leaves a lot open for the crafter to add and make it their own. I usually change up sketch just so I can make it me, but this time I really wanted to stick with the sketch. I did however use a patterned paper on the background. Since I started using a lot of media on my pages I have found myself using more and more white and kraft colors as backgrounds. I find that really helps open the layout up and keeps it from looking to busy, since I still have to add lots of layers! I mean I still want to use all those yummy patterns. 

I dug in my older papers and found a old Crate Paper collection and used that to start. But to keep it current I used newer lines for my layering papers. The sketch calls for 4 3x4 papers along the top third of the paper. I choose to cut my papers in different sizes, some 3x4 and some thinner but longer. I even used some gold star vellum from Studio Calico under a 3x4 journaling card from Clique kits. 

Since the background was a teal color  choose pink to compliment it. Also I was scrapping a photo of my middle daughter and she loves her some pink. I thought pink would play on her playfulness and cute smile. Also I kept the patterns simple on the layering paper, like pink watercolored paper on Pink Fresh Studios  paper, or simple patterns on white paper like on We Are Memory Keepers Love Notes paper. 

For embellishments I added gold since I had gold on the vellum and made sure I used lots of pink too. On the journaling card since there was some bright teal, I used one teal sequin in the clusters to mirror that as well. I find that mirroring colors in my papers with embellishments helps make my layouts look like they belong together. The colors don't have to match perfect but or patterns don't have to be the same but if the are similar they look like they should go together. 

I added a craft paper from the Amy Tangerine Stitched collection and drew in stitch lines, since I don't own a sewing machine to make it look more homemade. For the title I used October Afternoon letter stickers in white. Nice and simple and then one word had pink sparkle foam letter thickers from a older Dear Lizzy line. Just the right touch of spunk. 

I ended everything with some splatters of black color shine, pink shimmer homemade mist and then some thinned out white paint. 

By keeping this layout simple, for me at least, it is so much easier to focus on my daughter and her story, which is written in hot pink on the journaling card. 

I really had fun using this sketch. But like always after using a sketch I am happy to go back to creating something equally great without a sketch. I hope this week you guys try to use a technique that reminds you of when you first started scrapping. That you love but don't try enough.