Page Sketch - for Fall or otherwise...

Sometimes I have a hard time deciding whether I should do a paper scrapbook page or create a digital version.  There are pros and cons to each type of scrapbooking but the most important thing is to tell your stories and save the memories.  I did a little digital sketching tonight using my Creative Memories StoryBook Creator 3.0 software.  Most of the papers and elements I used are from the Cheerful Digital Power Palette which coordinates with the Cheerful Seasons Cricut cartridge.

There is a sale on all digital downloads until September 21st - you can save 30% - so if you are interested in doing more digital projects, it is a good time to add to your collection of  digital papers and embellishments.  Here is a LINK to the digital download page on my Creative Memories personal website.

I created the Celebrate Fall page at the top of this post first. The words are from the Day to Day Digital Kit which is on CD and not part of the current sale.  I worked out the math to have the photos (the gray spaces) nicely aligned.  The fall embellishment was created by using some of the shape cutters and applying 3D edges.

To change up the layout, I used different colors and looked for the digital elements that are also available on the Cheerful Seasons cartridge.  You could try to duplicate this layout all in paper using these cuts.

There are many more that are available in both the cartridge cutting format and as digital elements.

For even more variety, I turned the sketch 90 degrees and changed some of the colors and papers/ribbons.

A couple more turns and I had this version of the layout.   Now I just need to add some photos.  I can create many variations from this basic sketch and the pages will look very different depending on the paper and embellishment choices I make.

***I have to give a shout out to my blogging friend Albert.  He purchased the Cheerful Seasons cartridge through me and has a lovely Thanksgiving card posted on his blog - here is a LINK to the post.  Please stop over and enjoy seeing his creations - and say hi from me!

IMAGINE MORE

There are only a few more days until the Cricut Imagine launch on HSN.  I feel like my two worlds (digital and traditional) are finally coming together - and I am imagining even more extensions of the capabilities of this new machine.  Here is a LINK to the page on the Cricut.com site where you can find the official video introduction of the Imagine.  Here are the links again to the blogs of some of my friends who are previewing the Imagine - lots of good information and videos can be found on their sites .  Joy's blog, Melanie's blog, Everyday Cricut (Joy and Melanie together), Robyn's blog, and Tammy's blog.

If you have the Creative Memories StoryBook Creator 3.0 software and would like this page sketch/template in a click and fill format, please send me an email and I will get it to you as soon as possible.  I do have to let you know that I have been having more trouble with the pain in my leg and have been to physical therapy and the doctor so I am behind on answering emails and comments.  I will try to get caught up soon but it depends on the next treatment steps and how much time they take.  I am also working on the "big" project I told you about earlier this year.  Thanks for your patience as i try to juggle it all!


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Some more information about Card Sketches....

Several people have asked me to explain more about making card sketches.  I do this in two ways - using Design Studio or my Creative Memories StoryBook Creator Plus 3.0 software.  Each has some advantages and disadvantages. 

You can use Design Studio or the Gypsy to plan a card (or a page layout) and determine the correct size for all of your cuts.  By working on the virtual mat you can avoid cuts that are too large or small  - you won't waste any paper and all of your cuts will be "just right."

In Design Studio you can do color previews of the full card but it is a slow process.  This card took eight mats (plus a preview page) to set up.  You need to plan ahead and figure out how many layers of color you need since each mat will only preview in one color.  It can be very fiddly to get everything lined up correctly and then move the layers to different mats so they will preview in the correct colors.  Design Studio will preview the images top to bottom from the first mat so you have to be able to visualize all of the layers in the proper order as you set up the mats

You can put some information on the mat tabs but I find it easier to take a screen shot and then add the notes on the screen shot.

 

When I use StoryBookCreator Plus 3.0 (Creative Memories) to plan the card, I have the option of changing the color of each element in the design while they are all on the same page.

I can group the entire design and then copy and paste and edit the second design to try variations (such as splitting the scalloped ribbon band and moving the pieces to the top and bottom of the card. 

 

I can also use digital paper to fill in the various elements.  In Design Studio I am limited to solid colors and I can't easily save any custom colors that I create.

I do not have a digital library of the Cricut shapes to work with in the StoryBook program.  I can take screen shots and create them but this is a slow and tedious process.  I can use elements from the program to represent the types of cuts I might use but I will still have to work with the items in the Design Studio program to get the sizing to be perfect.

When I make a "sketch" or card plan in Design Studio I will have created a file that I can use to cut the elements of the card.  If I create the sketch in the StoryBook program, I can be very specific about the sizes but I will have to "transcribe" the measurements into my Design Studio file.

For either program, It is important to understand how to create precise sizing and placement on the mat.

In Design Studio, you can enter the values in the Shape Properties Box.  This screen shot is for the first mat layer on the Easter card.

 

In the StoryBook Program, you select the element you want to work with and then right click and choose "Properties" from the bottom of the drop down menu - this screen will pop up. This screen shot is for the second mat layer on the card.

For both methods you need to first create a rectangle in the size of your card as a base (4.25 x 5.5 inches for an A2 card) and then work on adding additional elements of your choice.  In Design Studio you can use any rectangle to create the base that represents the card.  You will not be cutting this from the program but will simply cut an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of cardstock in half and fold it to form your card base.

Please let me know if you have more questions and I will try to help.  There are definite advantages to working out your designs on the computer, but if it gives you difficulty there is nothing wrong with the" pencil and paper" method - just have fun creating!

Something new for me....

Back in January, I signed up for a sketch swap in a group on the Cricut.com message board. I had not heard whether it was actually happening due to some health and family issues for the organizer, but apparently we are going forward.

So tonight, I did my first "sketch" for a 12 x 12 layout. I usually just do my layouts by sitting down and creating something that "looks good to me" so this was a new approach. I have never created a sketch using the computer, but, once again, my Creative Memories StoryBook software made it fairly easy to do.



I used shapes and shades of gray for the layout and added a swirl from one of the digital overlays I have purchased by download. I did two versions - one with the basic shapes and placement and the second with the actual dimensions added right on the sketch page. This makes it easier to duplicate in actual paper as opposed to using it for a digital layout.



Then I found a few spring photos and actually used my sketch to do a digital page. If you want to give this sketch a try I'd love to see what you do with it!



April 1st, 12:23 p.m. -ETA - I started this post in the evening yesterday but posted it late last night and I did not realize that I had changed the layers in my layout from the sketch. I think that is what sketches are for - to inspire but not necessarily follow exactly, however, I actually meant to make this the same as my sketch (!) - I have corrected the page but I am leaving the "alternate version" here - which do you prefer? Alternate is above and original below...