A Random Non-Christmas Related Tip/Trick

Have you ever looked at a layout online or in print and wondered how in the world they did that? In my case, I was always a little skeptical and perplexed by scrapbookers that placed embellishments and/or papers off the page. I thought, "Yeah, that's cute and all, but how do they get the page in their scrapbooks?" And then the light bulb went off for me - if I compensate for the "overhang" on the one side by trimming my page down on the other, it will slide right in the page protector!

Now I'm not an expert, I don't know all the design principles that are necessary in order to create a stellar page. I just go with what feels right to me - sometimes it's a hit, and sometimes it's definitely not. But to me, placing elements of your design both on and off the page lends natural movement to the design and carries your eye throughout the page. Think about it. When you throw a handful of leaves or snow up in the air, it scatters all over the place. Same thing if you spill a jar of buttons on the table. They do not stop abruptly at the edge. So I carry that "principle" over into my scrapbooking. I generally place my embellishments off the page by only 1/4" - 1/2", and then trim the page down to 11 3/4" x 12" or 11 1/2" x 12" to compensate for the overhang. Another alternative is to carry your design off the page and then trim the excess off, keeping your page 12" x 12". I think you still get the effect of movement, without dealing with elements hanging off the page. Here are some pages I've done in the past that are examples of this "principle" in action. I hope this has been a helpful tip/trick to you! :) Have a Merry Christmas!

Jenny