Continuing a week of looking back, I thought I'd share my favorite scrapbook pages from this year:
January 17, 2011:
I love this page because of the tissue paper background, the soft gradation of color, and the silly photos!
February 19, 2011:
I love this page because of the painted journaling. And the design is really different for me.
February 22, 2011:
I love this page because it mixes simple with paint in some nice ways. And I love that I used that leftover scrap of pink with a cut out in it for the bottom of the page and it just works.
March 25, 2011:
I love this page because I love those flowers I made! They're one of the lessons from my "It's Sew Easy" class, which is probably the hardest class I've ever taught. But I loved all of the projects that came out of that experience!
June 22, 2011:
I love this page because it came together effortlessly. And I took some risks that paid off: the teal stripe, and the big circle around the photo).
July 24, 2011:
I love this page because I threw paint all over that pretty paper piecing and it just made it better! Plus I managed to make two terrible grainy photos look kind of cool!
July 27, 2011:
I love this page because it was my first 8.5×11, a rare patterned paper background page, and it incorporates one of my favorite embellishments: a hand painted tag!
August 7, 2011:
I love this page because when I figured out that glitter technique I jumped up and down! Love how it looks!
August 8, 2011:
I love this page because when I figured out that chevron piecing technique I jumped up and down! Plus I love the inclusion of a piece of crochet. I want to do more of that in the future!
September 7, 2011:
I love this page because of those quirky little painted and typed tags. Love.
September 12, 2011:
I love this page because of the colors and the bold black herringbones.
October 12, 2011:
I love this page because I love the design. I love tags. Have I mentioned that I love tags? And I finally figured out a way to get some of the big ones onto a layout!
October 31, 2011:
I love this page because it is doodleriffic! I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but I love the result!
November 15, 2011:
I love this page because it is so simple and graphic. Plus I love that stamp set!
November 16, 2011:
I love this page because it is graphic and clean. Not a single paint splat in sight!
December 6, 2011:
I love this page because I was experimenting with a new technique with watercolor crayons and the results are so cool! Plus I love that tape I made!
—-
Some things that I notice all these layouts have in common:
- They all have a white, kraft/brown, or yellow background. And most are built on white cardstock.
- Every layout, but one, uses paint.
- Generally speaking I tend to like the photo in the center of the cardstock — maybe slightly off to the left or the right, but pretty centered. There are some exceptions, but not a lot.
- I'm proud to say that all of the layouts have journaling.
- While there is some typed journaling, I tend to be a handwriting journaler.
- Many of the layouts have a stripe of some kind up against one or two edges.
- I clearly like a bold title!
- I used mostly smaller photos, and a lot of Hipstamatic photos! Also a white border appears around many of the photos.
- All of these layouts fit into the "graphic artsy" category — they're definitely artsy, but they all have a strong graphic quality.
- Most of the layouts employ a certain amount of white space. As dense as some of the painted areas are, there is a clear place for the eye to rest.
- I'm not a big embellishment user. Looking at all of these layouts, most of the embellishments were hand made, not bought.
Lots of food for thought here. Since I left all of my scrapbook design teams this year I find myself more and more able to scrap the way that I want to. And the way that I want to is pretty much cardstock, paint, stencils, stamps, and a pen. With maybe a few tags or a bit of patterned paper. And since I love all of these pages, I feel encouraged to continue in this direction of doing what feels good, keeping it graphic but artsy, and making my own little embellishments!
P.S. I like tags. 😉
P.P.S. The winner of May's class, The Curious Scrapbooker's Field Guide, is…
Congratulations Hilda! Let me know your e-mail address and I'll send it on to May!
julie, this post reinforced my belief at what an exceptional artist you truly are. i truly value the things you share.
julie, this post reinforced my belief at what an exceptional artist you truly are. i truly value the things you share.
julie, this post reinforced my belief at what an exceptional artist you truly are. i truly value the things you share.
julie, this post reinforced my belief at what an exceptional artist you truly are. i truly value the things you share.
julie, this post reinforced my belief at what an exceptional artist you truly are. i truly value the things you share.
Gorgeous picks!
Your style is shown in every one of them – it can’t be missed!
Gorgeous picks!
Your style is shown in every one of them – it can’t be missed!
Gorgeous picks!
Your style is shown in every one of them – it can’t be missed!
Gorgeous picks!
Your style is shown in every one of them – it can’t be missed!
Gorgeous picks!
Your style is shown in every one of them – it can’t be missed!
I really like your very “open” style and the artsy-ness of it. I love how much your scrapbook pages are like a journal of your days. I’ve felt drawn to scrapbooking but felt without having kids what would I scrapbook? I love all the photos of you that you take! Maybe 2012 will be my year to experiment more with scrapbook pages. And it gives me another excuse to use stencils on more projects — stencils are my current craft love and tags moved to be my next best! Smiles!
I really like your very “open” style and the artsy-ness of it. I love how much your scrapbook pages are like a journal of your days. I’ve felt drawn to scrapbooking but felt without having kids what would I scrapbook? I love all the photos of you that you take! Maybe 2012 will be my year to experiment more with scrapbook pages. And it gives me another excuse to use stencils on more projects — stencils are my current craft love and tags moved to be my next best! Smiles!
I really like your very “open” style and the artsy-ness of it. I love how much your scrapbook pages are like a journal of your days. I’ve felt drawn to scrapbooking but felt without having kids what would I scrapbook? I love all the photos of you that you take! Maybe 2012 will be my year to experiment more with scrapbook pages. And it gives me another excuse to use stencils on more projects — stencils are my current craft love and tags moved to be my next best! Smiles!
I really like your very “open” style and the artsy-ness of it. I love how much your scrapbook pages are like a journal of your days. I’ve felt drawn to scrapbooking but felt without having kids what would I scrapbook? I love all the photos of you that you take! Maybe 2012 will be my year to experiment more with scrapbook pages. And it gives me another excuse to use stencils on more projects — stencils are my current craft love and tags moved to be my next best! Smiles!
I really like your very “open” style and the artsy-ness of it. I love how much your scrapbook pages are like a journal of your days. I’ve felt drawn to scrapbooking but felt without having kids what would I scrapbook? I love all the photos of you that you take! Maybe 2012 will be my year to experiment more with scrapbook pages. And it gives me another excuse to use stencils on more projects — stencils are my current craft love and tags moved to be my next best! Smiles!
Amazing as always Julie. I haven’t been keeping up with blogs this year as I have in years in the past so I’m thrilled you posted this like you usually do. I love the flying with a view lo. I never saw that. Its my fav. That one and the one with your mom and the tags with clouds on it. Gorgeous.
Amazing as always Julie. I haven’t been keeping up with blogs this year as I have in years in the past so I’m thrilled you posted this like you usually do. I love the flying with a view lo. I never saw that. Its my fav. That one and the one with your mom and the tags with clouds on it. Gorgeous.
Amazing as always Julie. I haven’t been keeping up with blogs this year as I have in years in the past so I’m thrilled you posted this like you usually do. I love the flying with a view lo. I never saw that. Its my fav. That one and the one with your mom and the tags with clouds on it. Gorgeous.
Amazing as always Julie. I haven’t been keeping up with blogs this year as I have in years in the past so I’m thrilled you posted this like you usually do. I love the flying with a view lo. I never saw that. Its my fav. That one and the one with your mom and the tags with clouds on it. Gorgeous.
Amazing as always Julie. I haven’t been keeping up with blogs this year as I have in years in the past so I’m thrilled you posted this like you usually do. I love the flying with a view lo. I never saw that. Its my fav. That one and the one with your mom and the tags with clouds on it. Gorgeous.
I’m really enjoying your retrospective and decided to open a journal I started in 2006-7 with pen and ink, but left off about 18 pages from the end; I added a new 2pg spread and bravely put on colorful layers in Wc and stencil – the difference in my work then & now is clearly obvious, having more dimension. Hope to show you someday.
I’m really enjoying your retrospective and decided to open a journal I started in 2006-7 with pen and ink, but left off about 18 pages from the end; I added a new 2pg spread and bravely put on colorful layers in Wc and stencil – the difference in my work then & now is clearly obvious, having more dimension. Hope to show you someday.
I’m really enjoying your retrospective and decided to open a journal I started in 2006-7 with pen and ink, but left off about 18 pages from the end; I added a new 2pg spread and bravely put on colorful layers in Wc and stencil – the difference in my work then & now is clearly obvious, having more dimension. Hope to show you someday.
I’m really enjoying your retrospective and decided to open a journal I started in 2006-7 with pen and ink, but left off about 18 pages from the end; I added a new 2pg spread and bravely put on colorful layers in Wc and stencil – the difference in my work then & now is clearly obvious, having more dimension. Hope to show you someday.
I’m really enjoying your retrospective and decided to open a journal I started in 2006-7 with pen and ink, but left off about 18 pages from the end; I added a new 2pg spread and bravely put on colorful layers in Wc and stencil – the difference in my work then & now is clearly obvious, having more dimension. Hope to show you someday.
FIRST SNOW AND STILL Beautiful are incredibly beautiful pages- enigmatic photos, great design and the color is spot on perfect. LOVE how you use paint and templates in your work- so glad you put out some new Crafter’s Workshop goodies as I got an excuse to buy more. I love this blog and you just keep on trucking girl- can’t wait to see where you go next.
FIRST SNOW AND STILL Beautiful are incredibly beautiful pages- enigmatic photos, great design and the color is spot on perfect. LOVE how you use paint and templates in your work- so glad you put out some new Crafter’s Workshop goodies as I got an excuse to buy more. I love this blog and you just keep on trucking girl- can’t wait to see where you go next.
FIRST SNOW AND STILL Beautiful are incredibly beautiful pages- enigmatic photos, great design and the color is spot on perfect. LOVE how you use paint and templates in your work- so glad you put out some new Crafter’s Workshop goodies as I got an excuse to buy more. I love this blog and you just keep on trucking girl- can’t wait to see where you go next.
FIRST SNOW AND STILL Beautiful are incredibly beautiful pages- enigmatic photos, great design and the color is spot on perfect. LOVE how you use paint and templates in your work- so glad you put out some new Crafter’s Workshop goodies as I got an excuse to buy more. I love this blog and you just keep on trucking girl- can’t wait to see where you go next.
FIRST SNOW AND STILL Beautiful are incredibly beautiful pages- enigmatic photos, great design and the color is spot on perfect. LOVE how you use paint and templates in your work- so glad you put out some new Crafter’s Workshop goodies as I got an excuse to buy more. I love this blog and you just keep on trucking girl- can’t wait to see where you go next.
I am loving your look back at pages and layouts – and your observations!! thanks so much for sharing your creativity – such an inspiration!!
I am loving your look back at pages and layouts – and your observations!! thanks so much for sharing your creativity – such an inspiration!!
I am loving your look back at pages and layouts – and your observations!! thanks so much for sharing your creativity – such an inspiration!!
I am loving your look back at pages and layouts – and your observations!! thanks so much for sharing your creativity – such an inspiration!!
I am loving your look back at pages and layouts – and your observations!! thanks so much for sharing your creativity – such an inspiration!!
love these pages ♥ have a great 2012
love these pages ♥ have a great 2012
love these pages ♥ have a great 2012
love these pages ♥ have a great 2012
love these pages ♥ have a great 2012
There’s that sewing pattern background, love it! And I’m really glad that you have blossomed into your unique creativity with your layouts now, that you can do your own thing with them, cuz they are real gems. Thanks for sharing these. xoxo
There’s that sewing pattern background, love it! And I’m really glad that you have blossomed into your unique creativity with your layouts now, that you can do your own thing with them, cuz they are real gems. Thanks for sharing these. xoxo
There’s that sewing pattern background, love it! And I’m really glad that you have blossomed into your unique creativity with your layouts now, that you can do your own thing with them, cuz they are real gems. Thanks for sharing these. xoxo
There’s that sewing pattern background, love it! And I’m really glad that you have blossomed into your unique creativity with your layouts now, that you can do your own thing with them, cuz they are real gems. Thanks for sharing these. xoxo
There’s that sewing pattern background, love it! And I’m really glad that you have blossomed into your unique creativity with your layouts now, that you can do your own thing with them, cuz they are real gems. Thanks for sharing these. xoxo
Julie, I love seeing these pages!! There’s so different yet the same and all have your amazing style. Even though they all ROCK, the FIRST SNOW IS MY FAVORITE!! I want to try that too on a page. My next faves are the GLAM GIRL AND TODAY GOOD TRAIN KARMA. But they are all pretty special.
Looking forward to a whole new year of your inspiration.
Julie, I love seeing these pages!! There’s so different yet the same and all have your amazing style. Even though they all ROCK, the FIRST SNOW IS MY FAVORITE!! I want to try that too on a page. My next faves are the GLAM GIRL AND TODAY GOOD TRAIN KARMA. But they are all pretty special.
Looking forward to a whole new year of your inspiration.
Julie, I love seeing these pages!! There’s so different yet the same and all have your amazing style. Even though they all ROCK, the FIRST SNOW IS MY FAVORITE!! I want to try that too on a page. My next faves are the GLAM GIRL AND TODAY GOOD TRAIN KARMA. But they are all pretty special.
Looking forward to a whole new year of your inspiration.
Julie, I love seeing these pages!! There’s so different yet the same and all have your amazing style. Even though they all ROCK, the FIRST SNOW IS MY FAVORITE!! I want to try that too on a page. My next faves are the GLAM GIRL AND TODAY GOOD TRAIN KARMA. But they are all pretty special.
Looking forward to a whole new year of your inspiration.
Julie, I love seeing these pages!! There’s so different yet the same and all have your amazing style. Even though they all ROCK, the FIRST SNOW IS MY FAVORITE!! I want to try that too on a page. My next faves are the GLAM GIRL AND TODAY GOOD TRAIN KARMA. But they are all pretty special.
Looking forward to a whole new year of your inspiration.
Lovely pages Julie. I have never done anything like this – a bit scary but I am intrigued. Will this activity be running in 2012.
Lovely pages Julie. I have never done anything like this – a bit scary but I am intrigued. Will this activity be running in 2012.
Lovely pages Julie. I have never done anything like this – a bit scary but I am intrigued. Will this activity be running in 2012.
Lovely pages Julie. I have never done anything like this – a bit scary but I am intrigued. Will this activity be running in 2012.
Lovely pages Julie. I have never done anything like this – a bit scary but I am intrigued. Will this activity be running in 2012.
You make me want to scrapbook! Your different techniques (I squealed when you showed how to do the glitter with the stencil too!!) are so inspiring!
You make me want to scrapbook! Your different techniques (I squealed when you showed how to do the glitter with the stencil too!!) are so inspiring!
You make me want to scrapbook! Your different techniques (I squealed when you showed how to do the glitter with the stencil too!!) are so inspiring!
You make me want to scrapbook! Your different techniques (I squealed when you showed how to do the glitter with the stencil too!!) are so inspiring!
You make me want to scrapbook! Your different techniques (I squealed when you showed how to do the glitter with the stencil too!!) are so inspiring!
Im not totally sure I understand your question. I will continue to scrapbook and blog in 2012. 🙂
Im not totally sure I understand your question. I will continue to scrapbook and blog in 2012. 🙂
Im not totally sure I understand your question. I will continue to scrapbook and blog in 2012. 🙂
Im not totally sure I understand your question. I will continue to scrapbook and blog in 2012. 🙂
Im not totally sure I understand your question. I will continue to scrapbook and blog in 2012. 🙂
Hope to see it!
Hope to see it!
Hope to see it!
Hope to see it!
Hope to see it!
Still Beautiful is delightful Julie!
Still Beautiful is delightful Julie!
Still Beautiful is delightful Julie!
Still Beautiful is delightful Julie!
Still Beautiful is delightful Julie!
Lovely layouts! I think leaving the scrapbook design teams was the right decision for you – your DT layouts were pretty too but these have so much more soul to them. You are an inspiration.
Have a great 2012!
Lovely layouts! I think leaving the scrapbook design teams was the right decision for you – your DT layouts were pretty too but these have so much more soul to them. You are an inspiration.
Have a great 2012!
Lovely layouts! I think leaving the scrapbook design teams was the right decision for you – your DT layouts were pretty too but these have so much more soul to them. You are an inspiration.
Have a great 2012!
Lovely layouts! I think leaving the scrapbook design teams was the right decision for you – your DT layouts were pretty too but these have so much more soul to them. You are an inspiration.
Have a great 2012!
Lovely layouts! I think leaving the scrapbook design teams was the right decision for you – your DT layouts were pretty too but these have so much more soul to them. You are an inspiration.
Have a great 2012!
Julie, I wish you a very happy and creative new year. Hope you’ll continue sharing your stunning work because you are one of my favourite reference blog and very talented scrapbooker. Love your style, so very inspiring. Thank you:)
Julie, I wish you a very happy and creative new year. Hope you’ll continue sharing your stunning work because you are one of my favourite reference blog and very talented scrapbooker. Love your style, so very inspiring. Thank you:)
Julie, I wish you a very happy and creative new year. Hope you’ll continue sharing your stunning work because you are one of my favourite reference blog and very talented scrapbooker. Love your style, so very inspiring. Thank you:)
Julie, I wish you a very happy and creative new year. Hope you’ll continue sharing your stunning work because you are one of my favourite reference blog and very talented scrapbooker. Love your style, so very inspiring. Thank you:)
Julie, I wish you a very happy and creative new year. Hope you’ll continue sharing your stunning work because you are one of my favourite reference blog and very talented scrapbooker. Love your style, so very inspiring. Thank you:)