Wednesday, March 9, 2016

No Photos? No Worries! How to Scrap and Create Without Pictures


Welcome to The Cherry On Top.

Today, we're looking at various ways to scrap, design and craft without using photographs.  So many times, I see a great digital or traditional kit that I'd love to have, but have no pictures for it.  Perhaps you have a Creative Team requirement of a kit that's for boys, but you don't have boys?  I have the opposite problem.  All of these girlie kits and all boys in this house.

We'll show you 9 ways you can scrap, design and create without using photos or using photos, but changing the theme of the kit, to fit your pictures.

One of the latest kits I've worked with, is actually an older kit from Studio4 DesignWorks, Magical Wonders.  It is a totally awesome collection. I really felt this one, but I have two young boys and the photos of them, just didn't seem to be cohesive with the collection.

1)  Scrap Yourself

I don't know about you, but I don't really feel comfortable scrapping myself.  It seems so selfish or well...you know!

Just do it!  Keep some photos of yourself, that you really like, aside for times like these.



This kit from Aveziur Designs was very special and with quite some pink.  So, I sucked it up and put my photo in there!  Hehehe...Your friends love to see you in your layouts, I can guarantee that!


2) use a quote, simple saying or sentence

It's similar to my page above, but I thought it might make the kit even more magical than it already is.  By keeping it more generic, where it can apply to anyone or thing, makes the kit/collection more sellable.  Themes can often kill a kit or at least cut into potential sales.



I had this beautiful kit from Alexis Design Studio and used it to show off some recent Christmas decor I designed for my window.  The theme of this kit was religious and I didn't have any religious themed photos.


3) wall and profile images

I very often use a kit that I love for designing my wall and profile pictures.



4) recipes cards or pages for you or to share

Use cards like this for on blogs, give as gifts, to design tags for gifts or just for yourself.

5) other people's children

This is something I do a lot.  Of course, you need permission, but I've never been told no and my friends seem to genuinely like when I scrap their kids and share it on their wall.  They even might print them out. I have a short list of friends with gorgeous and cute kids and often just download sweet photos when they are posted on FB.


6)  think hybrid or digital card/sentiment

Scour the web for cute, funny, sweet or romantic sayings and scrap them up.


7)  PETS

I designed a fun Princess inspired  collection and I have two boys.  NO worries!  Use girly or child themed kits to scrap up pets.  Don't have pet or kids?  Go back to tip 5 and use other people's.  I have a lot of animals, but I still scrapped a friend's pooch because he's just so cute.  Hehehe...


8)  write a poem 

This kit from Paty Greif is so super special, I scrapped a couple of layouts and then wrote this poem for a friend of mine who often finds herself in a dark place.  I posted it so other people know they are not out there alone.  Anyone is welcome to share it.  Things like this are important.

Not a writer?  Use one you find on the internet, but give credit to the author.


9) Look for colours and non theme elements in your kit or collection

Here's a layout from Aimee Harrison's, My Happiness 360 Collection.  It's the same collection I used for a layout above with the cute little girl with the pink frame.  There's a lot of feminine, pink goodies in that collection, but there are a ton of other elements, too.

Often times, I'm overwhelmed with a kit or collections colour palette, so I zone in on the few I like and go from there.

I'm very picky when it comes to papers.  If you have a kit where the papers do not inspire you, use huge or multiple photo layouts where you don't need a lot of papers.

For this layout using an upcoming, free template from us, I pulled out the more masculine colours, coordinated those colours with the colours in my photos for even more cohesion and left out the girly, feminine stuff to make a great layout. 


There are 9 tips to help you move along with Creative Team requirements or help steer you into a project or layout when you're not sure which pictures you should use.

Here is a peep at some of our recent, popular freebies.  We never want you to leave here empty handed.


Hybrid, paper bird house.
 free hybrid

Free template
 free template

Thanks so much hanging out with The Cherry!

Consider following us here, on Facebook and Pinterest.

No comments:

Post a Comment