Today's post (gasp!) will not include a sample photo. Instead, I'm going to bring up my favorite, all-time, can't-live-without scrapbooking tool: sketches.
My friend Elizabeth introduced me to sketches, I think it was a Becky Higgins Sketches publication. At first, I didn't see the value: lots of prep work, and a layout that ends up looking like something someone else did. Where's the creativity in that?
Well friends, the creativity is in each person's interpretation of that sketch. Elizabeth's pages were always so beautiful, I decided to try a sketch on for size. I used a sketch she had used, and wouldn't you know it, my page ended up looking completely different from hers AND from the sample page in the book! This was a useful little tool...
I use sketches quite a bit now, and I have my favorites: Becky Fleck's Pagemaps. Fleck has published two books, both of which I've purchased and used and still LOVE and refer to, but she also publishes several sketches every month...for FREE on her webpage. I'm posting a link on the left for you to click on and see for yourself. You can even sign up for her emails, and she'll send you one letting you know when new sketches are available to download and print. For free. Seriously.
Jumping off from sketches, I began looking for color combination suggestions. I found a site I really like called The Color Room. Every week (I think) they post a new color combination for you to try. If you're a digiscrapper, they include a digital number value you can repeat in your programs. Check the link on the left to see what you think. I print these off every once in a while and store them in a binder, with my pagemaps, and refer to them when I need a boost in creativity.
What are your go-to items or favorite sites? Share so we can all enjoy!
Thanks for the tip about the Color Room and digi scrapping. I am a digi scrapper and I think I will find this useful.
ReplyDeleteFor other digi scrappers I really like Jessicasprague.com for classes and tips and I like designerdigitals.com for products. If you like Ali Edwards, and who doesn't, she does classes for digi and hybrid scrapping at bigpictureclasses.com.
Michelle
I appreciate having access to the websites, Peggy; thanks for posting them. Once I'm up and running again, I'll be checking them out for new ideas. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, and thanks to Michelle for the additional sites. Good ones!
ReplyDeleteWow, I feel famous!!!! Becky Fleck is still my fave! Bought her second book also. I haven't used it, though. Not b/c I don't like - b/c it's been that long sinced I've scrapped! Yikes - I need to find some creative time.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, you ARE famous. :) Get crackin' and use that book. The punchout cards are fabulous too. They have a hole punched and can fit on a big ring for easy reference.
ReplyDelete