Journaling Through February.
Hello Daisy fans! It's Kylie back with you today to share how I like to journal in my planner. Here's the thing.... I have always wanted to be a consistent journal writer, but I am...
Memory Keeping Design Challenge: Create a Centered Layout
Hello, Friends!
As paper crafters, we tend to have a tried and true formulas for designing a layout. That said, it is always good to mix it up and challenge ourselves with different design styles and formats. Today, we asked our Memory Keeping Team Members to create a spread that is center-aligned, and they rose to the challenge! Keep reading to see two beautiful 12X12 and Simple Dori Traveler's Notebook Spreads.
First, we have Jil sharing a 12X12 layout using the Treetop Canopy Collection.
"My center-aligned page is a 12x12 I made with a favorite photo of my boyfriend and my dog taken when we were out for a winter walk. Because of Tim's brown jacket and the wintry landscape, I chose to work with the brown patterned paper and kraft tag from the Treetop Canopy Traveler's Notebook Memory Keeping Kit. I filled the full center of the page with my photo matted on the tag and paper. To make my title, I used the awesome rub-on alphabet in the kit, strips of patterned paper, snowflakes die-cut from the paper, stamping (using the set of border stamps, which I love!), and my handwritten journaling.
I hadn't yet used the puffy hearts from the Denim and Blush Classified: Memory Keeping Kit, and so I sprinkled them across this center portion of the page to reinforce my theme of heart-felt affection for these two loved ones. I also added some details with a few stickers and die cuts, glitter enamel dots, stitching, and blue twine. My color scheme was brown and coral with touches of pale blue. It's so much fun to see all the different color-combos and moods we can create with these kits!
I also enjoyed working in the center because my go-to design placement is guided by the rule of thirds. Center-alignment is great, though, for a favorite photo you want showcase--give it a try and see what you think!" Wow, this center-aligned layout is stunning, with its mix of texture throughout and the column of embellishments down the middle. We also love how Jil combined elements from the previous month's kit into this layout. Don't be afraid to pull from your kit stash
While Jil went vertical with her centered spread, Odessa chose to take a more horizontal approach. Spoiler alert, we love it!
"When I think centred, I think of plopping a photo in the middle of the layout. Which can work with a Traveler’s Notebook page, but sometimes just ends up cutting someone’s face in half, haha. So I decided to start by making some quick sketches to explore what centred can mean.
After looking them over, I settled on a horizontally centred approach. I started looking through all of my kit contents to figure out how to best execute it. I used a couple of the papers that come with the Denim and Blush Modern Memory Keeping Kit in a pale diagonal stripe as the background. Then I found the striped tag from the Denim and Blush Classified: Memory Keeping Kit and knew it was just what I needed to put my layout together.
I added my photo to one side and a big acrylic title, also from the Denim and Blush Classified: Memory Keeping Kit to the other side. And then I pulled out all the die cuts and stickers that I thought would look good and started laying them out on my page. I started with the die cuts because they are easy to move around before you stick them down and then started working around them.
It was so much fun to just play with all the parts of the kits while putting together a beautiful layout. If you’re ever in doubt, sketching it out is a great way to start a page." Odessa tackled the challenge by testing out a few designs first. Judging from her sketches, we think these are all great takes on the centered style. While Odessa kept her design in the middle of the page, we love that she spread out all her embellishments throughout, creating a grid-like collage effect. This is a great technique to use the remaining elements in a kit in a way that feels purposeful.
Will you try out a center-aligned layout? If you do, make sure to share it with us by tagging @cocoa_daisy on social media or posting to the Cocoa Daisy Fan Page.
Best,
Rachel, Memory Keeping Team Blog Coordinator
"My center-aligned page is a 12x12 I made with a favorite photo of my boyfriend and my dog taken when we were out for a winter walk. Because of Tim's brown jacket and the wintry landscape, I chose to work with the brown patterned paper and kraft tag from the Treetop Canopy Traveler's Notebook Memory Keeping Kit. I filled the full center of the page with my photo matted on the tag and paper. To make my title, I used the awesome rub-on alphabet in the kit, strips of patterned paper, snowflakes die-cut from the paper, stamping (using the set of border stamps, which I love!), and my handwritten journaling.
I hadn't yet used the puffy hearts from the Denim and Blush Classified: Memory Keeping Kit, and so I sprinkled them across this center portion of the page to reinforce my theme of heart-felt affection for these two loved ones. I also added some details with a few stickers and die cuts, glitter enamel dots, stitching, and blue twine. My color scheme was brown and coral with touches of pale blue. It's so much fun to see all the different color-combos and moods we can create with these kits!
I also enjoyed working in the center because my go-to design placement is guided by the rule of thirds. Center-alignment is great, though, for a favorite photo you want showcase--give it a try and see what you think!" Wow, this center-aligned layout is stunning, with its mix of texture throughout and the column of embellishments down the middle. We also love how Jil combined elements from the previous month's kit into this layout. Don't be afraid to pull from your kit stash
While Jil went vertical with her centered spread, Odessa chose to take a more horizontal approach. Spoiler alert, we love it!
"When I think centred, I think of plopping a photo in the middle of the layout. Which can work with a Traveler’s Notebook page, but sometimes just ends up cutting someone’s face in half, haha. So I decided to start by making some quick sketches to explore what centred can mean.
After looking them over, I settled on a horizontally centred approach. I started looking through all of my kit contents to figure out how to best execute it. I used a couple of the papers that come with the Denim and Blush Modern Memory Keeping Kit in a pale diagonal stripe as the background. Then I found the striped tag from the Denim and Blush Classified: Memory Keeping Kit and knew it was just what I needed to put my layout together.
I added my photo to one side and a big acrylic title, also from the Denim and Blush Classified: Memory Keeping Kit to the other side. And then I pulled out all the die cuts and stickers that I thought would look good and started laying them out on my page. I started with the die cuts because they are easy to move around before you stick them down and then started working around them.
It was so much fun to just play with all the parts of the kits while putting together a beautiful layout. If you’re ever in doubt, sketching it out is a great way to start a page." Odessa tackled the challenge by testing out a few designs first. Judging from her sketches, we think these are all great takes on the centered style. While Odessa kept her design in the middle of the page, we love that she spread out all her embellishments throughout, creating a grid-like collage effect. This is a great technique to use the remaining elements in a kit in a way that feels purposeful.
Will you try out a center-aligned layout? If you do, make sure to share it with us by tagging @cocoa_daisy on social media or posting to the Cocoa Daisy Fan Page.
Best,
Rachel, Memory Keeping Team Blog Coordinator