The Chou Blog

Sketch of the Week: 2012-05-06

2012-05-07T21:51:00.003-05:00

This week's Sketch of the Week is an 8.5" x 11" two-page layout format. You can swap out pictures for patterned paper blocks, embellishments or journaling

Thank you to everyone who voted!!

Happy Scrapping!

Mother's Day Card Sample #3

2012-05-05T09:17:00.004-05:00

Happy Weekend!! I've got a few more card samples up my sleeve, but the weather is beautiful and my bike is calling, so....I'm headed outdoors for a little while.

I'm sticking with the 5.5" x 4" size card format for now (it really is a very convenient size). In this example, I've used three 1.5" high strips with three different lengths (4", 4.5" and 5"). You can choose to put a large embellishment on the card or leave as is - it's all up to you!

Happy Scrapping!!

Mother's Day Card Sample #2

2012-05-04T14:08:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday - Here is your second Mother's Day Card Sample!

These are the size measurements if you'd like to recreate one or more for yourself! It's a 5.5" x 4" horizontal flap card and the big pink strip on the right hand side is 1.5" x 4". The three blocks are 1.25" (blue square), 1.5" (polka dot square) and 1.5" x 2" (pink/blue swirl).

Hope you have a great weekend! Happy Scrapping!

Mother's Day Card Sample #1

2012-05-02T21:49:00.003-05:00

Hi! Hope everyone is having a good week. I'm trying to get some of the Mother's Day card samples out quickly, since I'll be traveling yet again for work next week!!

This sample is based on a 5.5" x 4" horizontal card and the strips of paper are 1", 2" and .75" high each. A great way to add some dimension to a card, or layout, is to replace polka dots with brads (look closely and you can see that I did that here). Happy Scrapping!!

Sketch of the Week: 2012-04-29

2012-04-29T18:02:00.002-05:00

Thanks to those who voted for this week's sketch! It's a 12" x 12" two-page layout and features and entire "string" of vertical 4" x 6" photos.

Hope you all have a great week - Happy Scrapping!!

Sketch of the Week: 2012-04-22 (8" x 8")

2012-04-24T20:17:00.002-05:00

OK, so I promised both a 12" x 12" and an 8" x 8" two-page layout sketch this week and this is the latter of the two.

Next, with Mother's Day coming up, I'm transitioning to handmade card sketches, but you can still vote for the Sketch of the Week (I'll still keep posting those too). Happy Scrapping!

Sketch of the Week: 2012-04-22

2012-04-23T20:43:00.001-05:00

There was a tie in this week's Sketch of the Week (between a 12" x 12" two-page and 8" x 8" two-page layouts), so I'll post one of each. The first one is the 12" x 12" and probably looks pretty simple, but that's the point.

This two page layout will display at least eight pictures (wallet size). If you crop a bigger picture and use in the big strips, you can display even more. My vision for the large strips are for patterned paper with a simple adjective vertically along the far right edge describing the picture (joy, smile, hope, courage, fun, summer, etc.) - the adjectives are your journaling.

Happy Scrapping!!

Upcoming Sketches

2012-04-20T17:57:00.002-05:00

This week's Sketch of the Week is looking to be a 12" x 12" two-page layout (you still have time to vote)! Also, I've been on a little bit of a card kick, so I'll be posting some of those in the coming week as well. Hope everyone has a great weekend - Happy Scrapping!!!

Wanderlust

2012-04-16T17:57:00.000-05:00

This is my take on the Sketch of the Week. My version incorporates the arrows in the original sketch and is actually a 12" x 12" single page layout. Since the base paper had stripes, I used those as the lines for my journaling.

Happy Scrapping!!

Sketch of the Week: 2012-04-15

2012-04-14T22:04:00.001-05:00

Thank you to all who voted - this week's Sketch of the Week is an 8" x 8" single page layout sketch.

This 8" x 8" version can be converted into a 12" x 12" to support a 4" x 6" photo (with slightly larger background pieces) and you don't necessarily have to use arrows in the layout (that was just part of the inspiration for the sketch - my love of travel and always being on the go). You can change the large arrow into a large horizontal patterned paper piece and the smaller arrows can be switched up for buttons, eyelets or brads.

As always, if you'd like to see a sketch in a different format (6" x 6", 8.5" x 11" or 12" x 12"), you can vote for your favorite @ the Choubox Scrapbook Design Sketch Pad and maybe it will be the next Sketch of the Week!!

Happy Scrapping!!

Sketch of the Week: 2012-04-12

2012-04-07T06:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who voted for the Sketch of the Week!! This week's sketch is for an 8" x 8" two-page layout and incorporates Washi Tape into the layout to add some visual (vertical) interest. If you would like a different sketch, make sure to vote! The format of the sketch can change every week depending on your votes alone! Happy Scrapping!!

Sketches of the Week: 2012-04-01

2012-03-31T22:47:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be traveling with my family tomorrow, so I wanted to get the Sketch of the Week (or in this case, sketches) posted for your use! Based on your votes, the winning format was 8" x 8" single. I got some extra inspiration today, so I decided to make two. :-) I really liked the simplicity of these sketches. If you prefer a different format, make sure to vote and then you'll get a free sketch next week!

Happy Scrapping!

Meeting Grandma and Grandpa

2012-03-31T09:08:00.001-05:00

So, we've had a page in your new baby scrapbook featuring Mom, Dad and even siblings, but what about Grandma and Grandpa?!! We can't forget about their first visit, especially if they travelled many miles to get there. And...just so there is equal "billing" among the two sets of grandparents....this layout features two 4" x 6" pictures.

If you'd rather, you can use this layout for other "introduction" pictures, like your new son or daughter meeting their Aunts, Uncles, Cousins or family friends for the first time. Happy Scrapping!!

Announcing...Your New Baby!!

2012-03-27T19:05:00.000-05:00

You saw this sketch 10 days ago, but I wanted to put I wanted to put it in its proper context....

The design of this layout is taken almost directly from (of all things) a birth announcement. I loved the design of my cousin’s announcement and thought it would make a great layout for a new baby scrapbook. Unlike “traditional” scrapbook layouts, where the focal picture is on left….this one has the focal picture on the right. Now, while it may go counter to standard design criteria, it still maintains proper visual flow from left-to-right (those standard design criteria are more like guidelines anyway...). You can use store bought patterned paper for the one-inch strip that runs across the bottom of the page or you can make your own with your new baby’s birth information (click here for more information) and for a title, you can put your baby’s name in big chipboard letters. Happy Scrapping!!

Special Delivery!

2012-03-26T20:29:00.000-05:00

You’ve waited nine months for the stork to arrive with a “Special Delivery”, so find two of your favorite pictures (4" x 6") of your little one or two pictures from the hospital to fill in the next two pages of your new baby scrapbook. Of course, you can always use this layout for something completely different, like baby’s first bath, pictures with siblings, the trip home or baby’s first Christmas.

Daddy's Pride and Joy

2012-03-24T20:25:00.000-05:00

Gather up those precious pictures of Daddy with his “Little Angel” or “Little Man” and show them off on these two pages of your new baby scrapbook.

You’ve got room for a 5” x 7” and two 3” x 5”. You can switch up the title based on whether or not your new bundle of joy is little girl or a little boy and…if you’ve rather use another format for your “Daddy” pictures, then you can use this for “Big Brother/Sister” pictures because they are important too and it is too cute to see your first born cradle their baby brother or sister. Happy Scrapping!!

Cute as a Button

2012-03-23T21:46:00.000-05:00

So, how many of you loved to collect stickers as you were younger? Or maybe you just love to accessorize?... Then you will probably love to embellish your scrapbook pages too, but what is a scrapbook embellishment? Click here to learn more!!

Precious Moments

2012-03-22T17:02:00.000-05:00

Precious “Mom”ents… You can’t have a new baby scrapbook without a layout featuring Mom! In this example, the two-page layout calls for three average size pictures (4” x 6” and 3” x 5”), but you have the room to turn your focal picture into a 5” x 7” or change the two 3” x 5” pictures into four 3” x 3” pictures. Click here to learn more!!

New Baby Scrapbook

2012-03-21T20:59:00.000-05:00

The birth of a child is a great motivator to start a new baby scrapbook - what better way to show off your new bundle of joy, or new grandchild! Of course, the prospect of scrapbooking can be daunting…to someone looking for the outside in. What size scrapbook to use? What kind of adhesive should I use?...and probably one of the hardest of all… How do I arrange all my pictures (in other words…how do I make a layout)? Click here to learn more!!

What is a Scrapbook?

2012-03-20T18:48:00.001-05:00

By its simplest definition, a scrapbook is a collection of memories, usually in photographic and/or written form (a picture does tell a thousand words, but sometimes it helps to embellish with words) bound in an album. Of course, these albums come in many shapes and sizes and the definition of a scrapbook "album" has morphed over the years from a ring-bound photo album (with those yucky sticky pages) to 12" x 12", 8" x 8", etc., all made with archival products. For more on how to make a scrapbook, check out this article!

For more scrapbooking definitions....visit the Scraptionary!! Happy Scrapping

Sketch of the Week: 2012-03-19

2012-03-19T19:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Spring (or Fall depending on where you are in the world)!!

This week's winner of the Sketch of the Week is a 12" x 12" double page layout. This sketch was actually inspired by a magazine ad....there were huge letters across the middle of the page with pictures all around advertising clothing and jewelry. I thought it might make a good layout, especially for a birthday.

I'd love to see what your layouts turn out like!! You can post them in the Choubox Scrapbook Layout Gallery and don't forget to VOTE for your favorite layout size for the Sketch of the Week. Happy Scrapping!!

Three New Sketches

2012-03-17T18:46:00.000-05:00

These three sketches are all in the "baby" scrapbook series. They are 8.5" x 8.5" and two of them are actually new....I was inspired to make the first one based off a baby announcement I recently received and the last one was actually inspired by a website for one of our fine State Capitols. It is truly amazing where inspiration will come from, so always keep your eye out for it. Happy Scrapping!

NOLA

2012-03-15T19:38:00.002-05:00

Last year, I took my first trip to New Orleans. It was....an experience. It was beautiful and crazy and tasty all at the same time. This is a digital 12" x 12" layout based on my trip using the March 13th sketch. This particular layout uses the "muted" photo idea I mentioned in that blog post. Happy Scrapping!!

Get Out The Vote!!

2012-03-14T21:06:00.001-05:00

As we get further into this election year, the campaigns will heat up and our opportunity for memory making will go up as we become involved with volunteer efforts for our favorite candidate. Whether it will be your first opportunity to vote in a national election, a special post-election party or a memory of doing your part, check out these ideas for political scrapbook layouts!

Happy Scrapping!

More Sketches Please!

2012-03-13T18:13:00.001-05:00

I have to say that I "cheated" when I came up with this sketch....I saw a similar design on the front of an informational magazine and thought it would make an interesting layout.

The cool thing about this design is that you can make the squares whatever size you want. It's a 12" x 12" single layout and in this example I used 3" squares throughout.

Now, the 3" squares that surround the four pictures can be (1) patterned paper blocks or (2) other pictures that have an opaque layering on them that make the main pictures stand out even more (see example here).

Now, if this format isn't your favorite, then all you have to do is vote for the Sketch of the Week!! Right now, the front runner is a 12" x 12" double page layout. I count the votes each week and whatever layout format has the most votes wins - all you have to do is vote! Happy Scrapping!