Have you ever wondered what my secret is for creating my unusual sketches? I'm ready to share; but only with you, no telling anyone else. ;o) I keep an inspiration journal.
I'm always on the lookout for scrapbooking ideas. Where do I find inspiration? Everywhere. Magazines, newspapers, catalogs or even junk mail and spam can hold a treasure just waiting to be scraplifted. Also, look at music album covers, video covers and billboards. Advertisements are wonderful to use. Why? They usually include a photo, headline (title) and a blurb (journaling).
But, don't just look for complete layout ideas. Also look for color combinations you like and designs that could be translated to your background paper or embellishments.
I cut the item out and stick it in my journal. So, whenever I need a creative kick-in-the-pants, it's there waiting for me.
Here are the step-by-step instructions to make an inspiration journal just like mine:
1. Buy a spiral notebook or composition book.
2. If using a spiral notebook (like I did) use a permanent marker to color the edges and spine of the notebook.
3. Place white cardstock on your work surface and place your notebook on top. Trace around
the notebook with a pencil.
4. Cut the cardstock along the pencil line you drew.
5. Stamp the cardstock using
black Colorbox pigment ink 
using the script writing stamp from Fancy Pants'
Bella Brush stamp set.
6. Next, stamp the vine using Fancy Pants'
Bella Brush stamp set and
red Colorbox pigment ink .
7. Stamp the flowers using both size 8-petal flowers in the Fancy Pants'
Bella Brush stamp set and the
red Colorbox pigment ink .
8. Outline the vine and each flower using a black pen. Also, use the pen to add a center to each flower.
9. Ink the edges of the background paper with
red Colorbox pigment ink .
10. Cut a large circle out of red cardstock using
Coluzzle's large circle template. To get just the edge of the circle, you cut the paper using the last channel of the Coluzzle template, then without moving the template, cut a second circle using the template channel that is three channels from the channel you just used.
11. Using white stickers, spell your title for your journal cover (i.e. Inspiration) and place the stickers on an empty sticker backing sheet. Using
StazOn ink stamp the stickers using another of the stamps from the Fancy Pants'
Bella Brush stamp set.
12. Using the
Dots All Around template from The Crafters Workshop, mark every other hole for the spacing of the letter of the title. Place each sticker on the appropriate mark.
13. Glue your stickered circle to the background paper.
14. Glue your cover to the notebook's cover.
15. Tie some ribbon to the spiral spine of the notebook.
16. Start filling your notebook with inspiration!
I hope I have
inspired you.
Colleen
Another 2-page layout for you to try. The large photos are 4x6 and the circular photos are roughly 2-inches across.
Here's sketch #28. A 5-photo layout inspired by...dare I say it?...a spam message. Normally, nothing is more annoying to me than junk messages in my email inbox, but one actually gave me pause before I hit the delete key.
Have you ever wondered what my secret is for creating my unusual sketches? I'm ready to share; but only with you, no telling anyone else. ;o) I keep an inspiration journal.
the notebook with a pencil.
Kathy posted this layout in the digitalfreebies.com gallery based on my sketch #23 (and gave permission to post it here as well).
What fun. This single photo layout is just full of energy. I hope you enjoy this sketch as much as I did making it.
This sketch holds two 4" x 5 1/2" photos. The top outside corners of the photos should be rounded to match the rounding of the orange paper [I just couldn't figure out how to do it using PhotoShop Elements.]
The long wait is over. Here is another new sketch to help kick start your creativity. My design can hold eight photos.
This 5-photo, 12x12 sketch takes advantage of the latest trend in embellishments - washers
This patriotic sketch is just begging for your 4th of July and military photos.
, a small star punch
This 2-page, 12x12 sketch's free-form background is created by cutting patterned paper using a flexible curve
and an X-Acto
knife. Just create a shape that pleases you and cut away.
This layout is based on my sketch #11.
This sketch can showcase between 6 and 8 photos. A jumbo-sized flower and photo corner are all the embellishments needed.
and small
Here is sketch #11. 16 - 2"x 2" squares of patterned and solid paper add interest to this simple design. The sketch can accommodate up to 5 photos, but you can replace the small photos with either more paper or embellishments.
