design each moment

Valentine idea

Valentine's Day is coming up in just three weeks.  Do you have a special someone?  I do!  His name is Brandon and he is the best!

I used this 16 border spot page pattern to create a handmade Valentine for Brandon.

I recently found a really cute packet of Valentine's Day patterned paper and I was so excited to display nice big squares of it using this layout.

Materials used: white 12x12 grid paper, 5 coordinating sheets of patterned paper, one 4x6 photo, alphabet stamps and ink, white cardstock, along with the Mosaic Moments tools... metal ruler, craft knife, Dotto adhesive, Lil Chizler, and cutting mat.

I used four different papers for the border--cutting four squares each (2 1/8 inch x 2 1/8 inch) and then a large square for the center (6 5/8 inches by 6 5/8 inches).  The 4x6 photo looks great attached along the left side of the large square.

I stamped a romantic phrase onto white cardstock, giving it a typewritten, poetic look, and also attached those words to the large center square.

To finish it off, I added "Happy Valentine's Day 2010" to the inner left edge to document the year.

I love it and hopefully my sweetheart will, too!

ice!

We had so much fun at the ICE exhibit in National Harbor a few weeks ago!  The photos were perfect for a nice, big photo mosaic.

click on image for larger view

Just very simple materials used this time: two pieces of 12x12 grid paper in black, 16 photos, white cardstock, and the Mosaic Moments toolkit....quick glance cutting guide, metal ruler, craft knife, Dotto adhesive, Lil Chizler, and cutting mat.

What makes this layout interesting is the way the photos fill the space and tell a complete story.

I repeated most of the sizes and shapes on each side of the layout to maintain cohesion--for example, notice the use of the 3 1/4 inch squares.  And I kept the photos of us sliding down the ice slide together as a repeated theme.   

Using the photo of the entrance "ICE" sculpture serves as a subtle title for the pages.

On both pages, I repeated the pattern of using a photo of my son Atticus in this way: matting the center of the print on white cardstock cut to 4 and 3/8 inches by 3 1/4 inches, then using one inch squares of the photo above and below.

The layout also shows a balanced mix of pictures of people and pictures of the cool scenery.

These all-photo mosaics are a fun challenge and really capture the memory!

Have you tried one yet?

Hybrid Scrapbooking

Today is such a gloomy day outside today that I wanted to work on something cheerful that focused on my greyhound Josei. She is just the sweetest girl and wins over everyone she meets. I guess you could call this a hybrid page as I sized my own photos, printed my own journaling and combined them with patterned paper enhanced with a little stitching. It was quick and easy to do and proves that most anything used on Grid Paper produces such a pretty effect.

To begin, you will need to resize your photos in a photo editing program. I used Photoshop Elements 5 to size my main photo to 4 ^3/8 x 4 ^3/8 and the four corner photos to 3 ^2/8 x 2 ^1/8.

I chose a patterned paper that matched the background of my main photo. This one is from DCWV glitter stack. I love how the color pops off the Black Grid Paper. You can trim your patterned paper into squares with either the Paper Shapers 1” Square Punch or, as I did, cut the entire sheet by placing it on the Mosaic Moments Self-healing 14X14 Cutting Mat and cutting along the lines with the Fiskars Craft Knife. Once you have your squares cut, adhere your main photo directly into the center of the grid and fill in the page with the patterned paper squares, leaving room for the corner photos.

To bring even more focus to the main photo, I decided to stitch a daisy chain around the photo.

I used a Bazzill In Stitch’z template to create a circle centered around my main photo. Simply place the template over the photo and tape it in place with masking tape.
The masking tape will not tear the papers underneath it when removed. Now use a paper piercer to punch the holes. 
Gently remove the template and you are ready to being stitching.

 

The pre-punched circle makes it is easy to stitch through the layers. First, bring your needle up from the back of your Grid Paper through any hole and leave a small tail; tape this down on the back.

On the front, skip a hole and bring your needle back down the second hole. 

Now on the back, bring your needle up through the hole you skipped.

Continue in this manner until you have chain stitched around the entire circle. When you need to change threads, always start from the back and tape down the ends.

I highlighted the circle with some small flowers adhered with Mini Glue Dots. At this point you can adhere your small photos into the corners.

I completed my page by printing my journaling on the computer and layering the strips of journaling over the photo. The result is a cheerful, pretty page that honors our family pet.

Give hybrid scrapbooking a try on your Grid Paper. You'll love the results!

all aboard

We were lucky enough to attend the Fairfax Train Museum's semi-annual Model Train Show last month.  It was so much fun! 

The photos worked really on the grid layout.  Here is what I came up with:

Materials used: 12 x 12 grid paper in cypress, dark blue and white cardstock, patterned paper, black alphabet stickers, 6 photos, and the Mosaic Moments tools....quick glance cutting guide, metal ruler, craft knife, Dotto adhesive, Lil Chizler, and cutting mat.

I anchored the page with an uncut 4x6 photo (my favorite shot of the day) matted on a 4 3/8 inch by 6 and 5/8 inch mat and small 3 1/4 inch squares in the corners diagonal from the center photo.  Then, I made a title block out of cardstock and stick-on letters.  (Make sure and plan yours better than I did, or use re-positionable stickers!)

I also added a little strip of "tickets" from my stash of patterned paper, just for fun.

Lastly, I took my remaining three photos of the actual model trains and filled in the rest of the layout using my quick glance cutting guide.

All aboard!

a BIG year

Happy New Year!

Was 2009 an important year for your family? 

This layout highlights three major events in the Moon family and will hopefully give you a starting point for your own family's "year-end summary" page.

Materials used: 12x12 grid paper in desert, patterned paper, printer and paper, three photos, one 4 LETTER CORNERSTONE, orange acid-free marker, and of course, the Mosaic Moments tools...the one inch square punch, metal ruler, craft knife, Dotto adhesive, Lil Chizler, and cutting mat.

The 4 Letter Cornerstone comes in white, which makes it easy to customize.  I simply filled it in with acid-free orange marker, gently pulled the squares apart, and mounted each square on an inch of fuchsia cardstock.  I created a border using one inch squares of a very bold pattern, to give the feeling of celebration.  It also makes me think of a calendar, which is appropriate for the subject!

Two of the photos are matted on cardstock cut to 3 1/4 by 4 3/4 inches, which leaves room for journaling.  One photo is matted on paper cut to 5 1/2 by 4 3/8 inches, leaving a small space for a thin strip of patterned paper.  This helps balance the long vertical journaling on the opposite side.

The three important events are listed in chronological order, left to right, rather than in order of importance, which I thought would make more sense to the reader.  Using a computer to print out journaling fits in with the very neatly stenciled "2009" at the top of the page. 

Perhaps 2010 will be a little less exciting for our family!