Session #17 - 12 Months to Memories
Have you ever sat down to scrapbook and thought, "Where do I even start?"
You have the photos.
You have the supplies.
You know you want to make a page.
But staring at that blank 12x12 sheet of cardstock can make the simplest layout feel like a big decision.
That's where inspiration can make all the difference.
For Session 17 of 12 Months to Memories, we're creating a birthday layout using the Birthday Bash collection—but we're not starting with a blank page.
Instead, I'm going back to a past Creative Memories Project Recipe for our inspiration.
And that's one of my favorite ways to scrapbook!
You Don't Have to Reinvent the Wheel
A Project Recipe gives you a starting point.
It takes away some of those initial decisions:
Where should my photos go?
How much paper do I need?
Where should my title go?
How should I balance the page?
What should I do with all these photos?
Instead of spending your creative time trying to figure out the design, you can get right to the fun part—making it your own.
That's a huge time saver.
Inspiration Isn't Copying
I think this is an important distinction.
Using a Project Recipe or another layout you love doesn't mean you're not being creative.
Think of it as a recipe.
You have the basic ingredients and directions, but you can still make choices along the way.
Maybe you change:
The number of photos
Photo sizes
Paper choices
Colors
Embellishments
Title
Journaling
The original design gives you the road map.
Your photos and supplies make it yours.
Let the Collection Do Some of the Work
For this birthday layout, we're using Birthday Bash, and it's a great example of how a collection can help you create a beautiful page without spending hours figuring out every little detail.
The papers establish the foundation.
The stickers, die cuts and other embellishments add personality.
And the Project Recipe gives us the design.
Put those three things together, and suddenly that blank page doesn't feel so intimidating.
Beautiful Doesn't Have to Mean Complicated
I think scrapbookers sometimes equate a beautiful page with a complicated page.
But that's not necessarily true.
A well-designed layout can look polished without requiring hours of cutting, layering and embellishing.
Sometimes the secret is simply having a good starting point.
That's why I love having a collection of Go-To Designs and Project Recipes available.
When you find yourself short on time—or simply don't know what to make—you don't have to start from scratch.
Pull out a design you love.
Choose your photos.
Pick your papers.
And start creating.
Birthday Pages Are Perfect for This
Birthdays are one of those themes that we scrapbook over and over again.
Every year brings new photos, new ages, new personalities and new stories.
You don't need a completely different layout every single time.
In fact, using the same or similar designs over the years can create a really fun visual consistency in your albums.
And because the photos and stories change, the pages still feel completely different.
Your Scrapbooking Challenge
The next time you're stuck on a layout, don't start by staring at a blank page.
Start by looking for inspiration.
Pull out an old Project Recipe.
Look through a layout you've made before.
Find a page you've saved because you loved the design.
Then ask yourself:
"How can I make this work for my photos?"
You might be surprised by how quickly that blank page comes together.
The goal isn't to reinvent scrapbooking every time you sit down.
The goal is to preserve more memories.
And sometimes, the right inspiration is all you need to get started.
Happy Scrapping,
Diane Gutierrez
Diane Gutierrez Scrapbooking
My Final Layouts: Will post after Live Event
Watch Replay Video: Will post after Live Event