Let Your Banners and Flags Fly

Happy, happy Monday!  Today, the members of our On Trend team are showing their love for all things crafty and trendy by proudly displaying their layouts that have banners and flags.  Whether they are big or small, handmade or found on a sticker sheet, trinagular or pennant shaped - banners and flags are the perfect embellishment for just about any kind of layout.  Don't believe me?  Well then, take a look at these:

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson added a banner she cut from the circle pie paper.  She also created flags with her patterned paper and toothpicks.

 

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat used chipboard pieces to create this festive banner.

Practical Scrapper Danielle de Konink used the Basic Grey Hipster collection, which comes with this fun banner that she placed vertically on her page.

Practical Scrapper Malika Kelly used a little Bella Blvd banner for a subtitle and flag as an embellishment.

Practical Scrapper Julie made a big banner below her picture using the collection "Yes Please" from American Crafts.

Practical Scrapper Lanette layered her banners and popped them up with foam dots to add depth to her Bo Bunny Alora layout.

Practical Scrapper Charissa created circle banners from patterned paper and twine.  She placed her banners along the top of her page as well as near the photo for a central embellishment.

Practical Scrapper Cathy was super inspired by Kimberly Neddo's long banners that she created for a layout in the May issue of Scrapbook Trends!

 

Practical Scrapper Ruth used simple layered banner embellishments made from cardstock as a balance for the busy bright and energetic background paper.

 

Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee cut out her "today" banner with her Silhouette Cameo.  She added solid pink eyelet behind each cutout word to help them stand out more.

 

July 13th: Creating with Sketches

Happy Friday!  Practical Scrapper Krissy Clark McKee  here, and I'm here to talk with you today about my obsession with love of sketches.  For me, sketches are usually the perfect starting point when I am ready to create a layout.  In fact, I love them so much that I have recently begun creating my own, like this one.

And guess what?  Just as there is no wrong way to create a layout, there is no wrong way to interpret a sketch.  I like to keep my sketches somewhat plain and free of extra detail because it helps my imagination to run wild when I am using them.  I also find that I tend to use a sketch more than once when it has less detail because I have an easier time visualizing different things I can do with it.

I have a small notebook that I have started carrying around.  When I am stuck waiting in line or sitting down in the evening watching a little mindless t.v., I have begun pulling it out and doodling sketches in it.  Sometimes I recreate my doodled sketches and save them to my computer, like I did with this one.  I use Photoshop Elements to do this, and there are several tutorials online that quickly teach the basics for creating simple sketches using this program.

 Now, here is my layout that I created by using my sketch as a starting point:

As you can see, I cut several of my papers into different shapes than what is shown on the sketch, and I added a small overlapping banner in the top right corner. 

I also included and layered additional embellishments because...well...I love to create little clusters with pretty bits and pieces.

I did make sure I included the row of arrows from my sketch.  Of course, I also had to include some machine stitching and a few (artful) splatters of mist.

That's it for me!  I truly hope my sketch inspires you to use it to create your own unique layout or, better yet, I hope it inspires you to also try creating your own sketches. (P.S. - Let us know if you do use this sketch to create your own layout.  I am sure we would love to stop by your blog or gallery and admire your work!)

**Designer projects are not always linked in our posts, but you can always find their blogs in our sidebar or in the staff tab**

Celebrating Red, White and Blue- USA Independance Day

It's not the fourth of July yet, but we're getting into the spirit today with some great patriotic cards and layouts! Even though I'm a Canadian gal, I can't help but love the combination of red white and blue, whether it's on Old Glory, my team's hockey jersey,  or a fresh sheet of scrapbook paper. Here are some examples form our design team to prove my point of how great it really looks:

 

 Fresh Face designer Julie Tucker-Wolek

 Although Practical Scrapper Lynn  is Canadian, her son's birthday is July 4th, so
she loves using a Red/White/Blue color combination for his layouts.

Practical Scrapper Kimberly

Practical Scrapper Cathy

  Fresh Face Designer Laura 

Inspired by a card sketch from Authentique.

Practical Scrapper Cathy

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat Siehl

Fresh Face Designer Laura

Practical Scrapper Liz Chidester

Happy 4th of July to all our American designers and readers!