Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Rachel's Basic Grey layout

As you know, for my birthday, my dear friend Claudia signed us up for a scrapbooking class, where we made a two page layout using a new product line from Basic Grey. This was the first time I've ever taken a scrapbooking class and the first time I've ever worked with Basic Grey.

Now these photos really are bad (forgive me). Here is the layout:



I like to try something new every time I complete a layout (which isn't hard because there is a very long list of things I want to try and I'm a relative amateur). This time, I tried incorporating hidden journaling with the use of a file folder. See below:




















As you can see, I had a few extra photos I wanted to add but didn't want to overclutter the layout any more than I already have. I thought this was the perfect solution.

Claudia and I had a ball. She actually taught me how to use my paper trimmer properly (don't ask) and I showed her how to distress edges.

If I learned anything from taking the class, it's that I'm very slow, and I'm not good at replicating the sample. I found myself making lots of variations, and scrapping (excuse the pun) certain elements all together in favor of my own crazy ideas. I also learned that I need to practice the art of "pen" stitching (though something tells me Hanna really isn't going to care).

Wait, a scrapbooker who isn't a perfectionist?

Hear me roar.

4 comments:

  1. Oh, Rach! It's gorgeous! I love the colors and the borders/layers. You must upload this to TPIAB. It's fabulous!

    Are those ghost swirls under the flowers? They're very pretty.

    You might have to explain the comment about using a paper trimmer properly because you have my interest piqued.

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  2. I think it's fantastic. It makes me want to take a class too.
    What is pen stitching?

    I love that picture of Hanna, the close up. I also like the way there are hidden pictures in the file folder. I've always been curious about this: what do you do about these elements when you put them into an album? Aren't they covered under plastic? (Or do you use a different type of album?)
    I've always wanted to be more creative on that front, but the logistics held me back.

    What is TPIAB?

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  3. TPIAB = Two Peas In a Bucket

    It's an online gallery. If you do a quick search it should come up. I tried posting a link, but it won't work in a comment box.

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  4. Thank you so much! @Marieke, The pink swirls under the flowers are tinted gloss stickers ("Varnish"). The paper trimmer thing is actually really embarrassing, so I'll save that for our next phone call. @Theresa, I doubt it's the official term, but I call it pen stitching when you use a pen to mimic "stitches" normally made with a sewing machine. As far as the hidden elements go, I just read an article recently that tells you to cut holes in your page protector so that you can access them once the page is in the album, but I don't like this idea at all. I usually just stick the page in the album as is, and then I pull it out when I want to reach the hidden elements. It's inconvenient for sure, but I don't like the idea of going all Grey's Anatomy on my page protectors. Another idea is to attach the element to the page protector rather than the page, but considering how much Hanna likes to look through her albums already, this is definitely not an option for me yet.

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