Using Sketches

Some people love to use sketches and other people absolutely think they are taboo. I'm a middle of the road-er. I LOVE to create my own designs, around my photos, but sometimes I need some inspiration. I turn to sketches from other scrapbookers when I need that little boost. My favorite sketches are from Jeanette in the books she created for Close To My Heart. Her books (Reflections, Cherish and Imagine) are laid out according to the number of photos you can use. For example, if you have 3 photos, you can look in the front of the book for layouts that use 3 photos. Towards the back of the books, are sketches that use up to 15 photos! Of course, these are just sketches and you can take what you like and tweak them to make them YOUR OWN. You may use a photo spot for journaling or an embellishment, the possibilities are endless. I find that when I use a sketch, I can scrapbook a lot faster, and still use my creativity through the use of paper and other embellishments. I do not think that there is a right way or a wrong way to scrap or scraplift an idea from another scrapbooker (as long as you give proper credit to the original designer). We all take a little from here and there and add some of our own jeux ne seis quoix, to create our own masterpieces!

If you have never tried using a sketch, try it out, you might like it! Maybe by looking at a sketch it will spark some inspiration and you will design something completely different, with undertones of the original sketch from which you drew your inspiration. You can find sketches everywhere....magazines, scrapbooking companies (CTMH and Creative Memories), websites (scrapbookcardsandpapers, creating keepsakes). Maybe you already have a favorite place that you get sketches from. If you don't, start a list, and maybe even a journal to keep your sketches in for future reference. Sketches are springboards for creativity and I hope you find some inspiration from them.

I'm the owner/moderator of Disney PST, a piffing and snagging group, where scrappers who have a little more than they need of one thing can list it for another scrapper to snag it. Then the piffer can snag something surplus from another scrapper. It is a lot of fun! If you are interested in such a group, please let me know, ssauve7@aol.com (I have an "IN" with the owner - LOL). Anyway, one member, Tracy has become our inspirational source for the year. She has been listing one new sketch each month. I had a lot of fun creating new layouts with her sketches I can't wait to see what the next sketch will be. I will post her sketches and my layouts from the sketches here. Enjoy, and keep on scrapping!