Ask the Design Team
Have a question for our design team? Ask away! Send your questions to ideas@scrapbookandcards.com and we'll try to answer as many as we can!
What is your trick to mixing and matching products from different manufacturers? Sometimes I end up with just a couple of pieces of pattern paper or a few embellishments left over from a collection, but not enough to create a new layout.
In mixing manufacturers, I look for colours that go together, or compliment each other. I also find it easier to mix in embellishments from another manufacturer, because they often act as stand alone pieces. Finally, I use punches to use up the last scraps of my favorite papers and add them into any design. I love to add a hit of something different! ~ Lisa
In your 2011 calendar, I saw the layout that Summer Fullerton created from cardstock only. What is the trick to creating a page with no pattern paper?
One of my favorite go to tricks for working with cardstock is to go tone on tone with color. I love the idea of playing with similar color families. Try cutting different images with a lighter or darker colored cardstock then layer them on a cardstock base in the same color family. This creates almost your own custom patterned paper look that you can tailor for any layout. If you don’t have a die cutting machine try something as simple as playing with a circle punch. You can layer of different sized circles on cardstock for a quick and simple look. Take this idea one step further and ditch your punch altogether and cut haphazard lazy circles for a whimsical look. ~ Summer
On two of your layouts in the fall 2010 issue, you had letter stickers in a circle. Is there a trick to getting them lined up so perfectly?
For the layout in the fall issue, I took a CD and laid it on my layout in the area I wanted my title. Then I placed the title stickers with each letter perpendicular to the outside edge of the CD, so that they'd evenly follow the curve of the circular shape without slanting too much or not enough. After they were in place, I removed the CD. ~ Davinie
What 5 things do you find you use over and over again? Or if you could only pick 5 things to scrapbook with, what would they be?
Beyond the basics like my paper trimmer, scissors and adhesive I ALWAYS use White or Kraft cardstock, Foam Adhesive squares, a scallop border punch, Corner Chomper by We R Memory Keepers and natural twine. These things are always on my desk. I don't even bother putting them away. ~ Kimber
Do you mix different lines or do you stay with one company?
I'm definitely a mixer. I like to pull patterns and colors from my favorite prints with other papers and embellishments to create new focal points. It's fun to take a little of this and a little of that and put it together on a layout. ~ Davinie
When you have your pictures in hand, how do you choose your paper?
When I have a stack of photos I start by shopping through my stash. First I go for cardstock - I generally pull way more colors than I know I will use on my final project. Playing off the colors of my photos I then pull patterned paper. Then I weed out most of my original choices - my theory is always less is more. I like to mix up colors and patterns you might not think work together. I often use a color wheel when I am picking my color palette. ~ Summer
