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Scrapbook Photos -- Getting Adventurous With Your
Layouts
When you have selected the photos for your scrapbook, you'll
need to decide how best to lay them out on the pages. Don't feel
obliged to follow any principles that don't suit your own design.
There are no specific rules stating that all photographs or
mementos must be placed in chronological order. It is completely
up you to decide in what order you wish to place your items and
embellishments.
Choosing Your Layout
You can place your photos in a formal chronological order if
you want. You can also group them into formal or informal
categories according to similar colors, events, activities,
individuals or families. Photographs can also be placed into
random or abstract arrangements, or collages.
Each style has its own place in scrapbooking. For instance, a
chronological order might be useful for an anniversary scrapbook.
Pictures and mementos of the couple's years together could be
placed from the first day they met through the wedding day to the
present day with each time period on a different page.
On the other hand, a scrapbook for a parent might just have a
collage of photos and drawings to create a sense of the character
of their family and their lives together.
Getting Creative With Borders And Frames
Next time you want to find materials to make scrapbook photo
frames, have a look in your sewing box or craft cupboard. You'll
almost certainly find bits of ribbon, lace or embroidery cotton
that can be re-used to make fascinating and unusual borders for
pictures, photos, text or even entire pages.
These items can be used in many different ways by the
scrapbooker and help create a sense of theme or mood, as well as
contributing color and texture to your pages.
Ribbons and Lace
Ribbon and lace are by far the most common and most beautiful
border embellishments. The flowing nature of both materials
encourages a touch of softness and elegance. Ribbon and lace are
especially popular in gift and memory scrapbooks. Ribbon is easy
to glue and attach. Lace requires a bit more patience.
For an interesting change from ribbon and lace, try using jute
or raffia.
Embroidery Cotton
Embroidery cotton can be used in a number of interesting
scrapbooking ways. Individual fibers can be used to add a focus
to special items or used to give dimension to artwork or
drawings.
Embroidery fibers can also be twisted or braided for use in
artwork or as imaginative borders. Embroidery cotton can even be
used to tie down other items in a beautiful and creative way.
Hemp
Hemp can be used for a number of purposes in scrapbooking.
Single, twisted, or braided fibers can be used to add focus as
picture frames, or along the edges of the scrapbook page as a
border. Hemp looks especially good in scrapbooks with a western
theme. In general, hemp can also be used to make a scrapbook
appear more masculine.
Hemp glues quite easily and hides glue messes well. To
increase the likelihood that a piece of hemp will stay in place
while the glue is drying, place a piece of scotch tape over the
rope until the piece dries fully.
Always trust your own instincts and have the confidence to
organize and decorate your scrapbook according to how you see the
people and events it represents. That way your work will form a
unique record and have even greater personal value.
Nigel Patterson is a writer on arts and crafts and the
publisher of Create
Your Own Scrapbooks.
Visit his website for new and imaginative scrapbooking tips
and ideas -- so you can maintain your most treasured mementos and
present them artistically for you, your family and your friends
to enjoy.
 MORE RESOURCES updated Sun. October / 21 / 2018
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