Beach Therapy, Mini Scrapbooking Album With Just One Piece of Paper

Welcome to The Cherry On Top.

I've got a fast, easy and inexpensive paper/hybrid project for you.  I'm using this totally awesome collection, Beach Therapy from FayETTE Designs.  You can find it at Pickleberry Pop.

Keep reading to see our step by step tutorial on how you can build a fantastic mini scrapbooking album on just one piece of paper.  All you need is your software, your digital goodies, printer, paper, scissors and glue.  You don't even need fantastic paper.  In fact standard paper or lighter weight paper might be even more ideal.  I was stunned at the quality of print FayETTE's designs delivered.  I used standard printer paper and I forgot to use my "fine" print selection because I was so excited to see the result. Hehehehe....and it still turned out fabulous!

Here is what the collections looks like.  I fell in love with the journal cards and knew right away what I wanted to do with them.  I understand that not everyone finds as much time as I do to scrap.  So, I look for projects that you can finish with an hour.

Let's get started with the tutorial.  It's really a breeze!

I chose a format that would print easily on any printer.  On my Brother printer, it is Internation/ A4, but there is also an American selection.  I want my mini to fit on a standard piece of paper just for the ease of it all.

I slid in SIX of the cards without having to adjust the size of the cards where 3"x4", I think.  They fit so nicely on my format.  If it doesn't fit on yours, select all six and adjust them at the same time so they are exactly the same.  Centre them nicely on your page as shown.

For me, the easiest way to get my photos on a digital page is to create a template for each image or photo.  To do this, click on your layer "background" and duplicate it, then size it or cookie cutter it to the shape and or size you need.  Do it for each image you want to insert, as shown below.  (Not sure why my first photo spot is looking like that.)This technique will save you from all of the cropping and recropping and sizing you may have to do before your photo is just right where you want it, the size you want it.  Once you've inserted all of your photo spots, drag in your photos, command G or select "create clipping mask"from the layers in PSE.

The next, if you so wish, is to get the same elements from the card and place them exactly or slightly larger as they are on the originals.  You can see I've done the big, orange crab.  I also put a shadow under it to keep the dimensional effect.

Go around from card to card, playing and sizing the elements.  (I'll eventually change that palm tree card.)  Take note of the last card.  It's one that I changed up a bit so my photo would fit better.  I moved the fish and put a more fitting text banner over the existing one.

There it is!  I've changed out the top middle one where I could clip in a larger photo.

Here is where it may get tricky.  In order to just be able to fold the bottom row under and glue, you'll have to click on the all of the items in the bottom row and change it both horizontally and vertically.  Keep reading to see what I mean.

If you look to the right, you'll see I've highlighted everything on the bottom row.  I click on one of the boxes in the marching ants field and then can right click and choose, "Flip Layer Horizontal".  It will appear like you see below.

Tip:  You won't be able to read your text easily, backwards.  So you know it won't turn out right when you flip it.

Once you've changed it horizontally, also change it vertically with the same method as explained above.  You can see below, what I mean.  See now, how you can easily read backwards?

This is a much better example.  I HAVE to learn how to increase my screen shot images.  Hehehe...

This is what it looks like, printed out.  The colours are not that much different than the image above!

I highly recommend pre folding or soft folding everywhere you need a fold so that when you glue the layers together, it goes automatically into place and you only need to add a bit or pressure and perhaps make a few slight adjustments.

Tip:  I used a glue stick because it is more dry.  If you use liquid glue on thin paper, it may appear wobbly or bubbly from the wetness.

This glue stick dries very quickly and doesn't leave my paper, too wet.

I tried so darn hard to cut my edges just right and I still messed it up!  Hehehe...  You could always just cut off all of the white edge to remedy this.  

Tip:  The edges may not match up 100% perfect.  Be sure to check both side of your paper when cutting this close.  (It's why I goofed up mine.)

Here is the other side.  Pretty cool, right?  Made in a flash, with little materials and a super result.

Check out what else I made with this beautiful collection.

Here are a few more layouts with other collections from FayETTE Designs.

From the FREE 2 BE Collection

And my favourite collection that I've worked with so far, Sunshine On My Shoulder.

If you like FayETTE's designs as much as I do and you want a sample, I've got a freebie on a previous blog.  Click any image to see the collections and get the freebie.

Thanks so much for stopping by our blog.  Consider joining so you don't miss a beat or a freebie.  You may also want to consider join our group on Facebook where I offer exclusive freebies, have daily challenges and we get into some really good chatter, too.

Our newest exclusive freebie is this template to make either digital or hybrid bows like these.

Happy crafting!

Step By Step Scrapbooking Page Composition

 Welcome to Traditional Tuesday with The Cherry On Top.

We are back with another step by step tutorial with some ideas for a page composition.  You can do this layout in any size album.  Keep the size of your pictures in mind for printing.  I printed my pictures myself, so I could make the photos exactly the size I needed them. 

In typical, Cherry fashion, we are using mostly hand made elements and keeping the look simple and the cost minimal.  Scroll through our step by step and get some tips to add to your repertoire.

 

This album is a 6x6.  I find I finish smaller albums a lot faster than 12x12.  They take up a lost less product and are also great if you don't have that many pictures.  If you a have loads of photos from a particular event, then 12x12 would be more suitable.

I composed this collage of photos from a German trip we took a few a years ago.  I kept the photos a tad smaller because my book is only 6x6.

Most of these goodies came from a Pizza Box Scrap at Tiny's Hobby in Kortrijk, Belgium.  They fill a pizza box full of coordinating goodies and we scrap our butts off all afternoon and this one was for an entire weekend!  How cool is that?!  Come and go as you like for two days and scrap with some seriously friendly and talented scrappy sisters.

I purchased this heavy, chipboard alum with 2 rings at Tiny's as well and got started papering the pages.  I don't always do it this way.  Sometimes I just go page by page, but I wanted to try it this way to see if my overall look of the album would be more cohesive.

Then I started playing with the placement of photos and liked this design.  A nice large photo at the bottom, of Treir Germany.  Then a long, skinny photo that slides behind the large photo like a tag in a pocket and the tiny photo taking up the blank space.

I think layers make a project look really finished and it's also a super way to incorporate more colours into your project, too.

The pictures will really pop with the black background on this bright yellow paper.  The rounded corners of the book will be matched up with rounded corners of the second base paper.  Then layer up those photos with more coordinating coloured papers.

I love these venire frames, but they stuck out a bit too much on my background so I softened it up a bit with some ink.  The dark brown is also a colour from the collection so it will fit great.
  
Use your finger to smudge the look in if you choose.

It's a pretty big difference and with the bordeaux backing, filling in my empty space behind the photo and making the hearts red.  I loved that! I also adhered my frame with a big, thick glue dot to give dimension and add attraction to the tiny photo.

The next step is the tag photo.  I backed it up on some coordinating paper and added a sticker tab to the top so you could pull the tag out with ease.  Besides, the image at the bottom of the photo isn't that special.  What do you do with the other side of the sticker?

Turn your tag over and apply a matching paper.  I'm using the bright yellow again.

I took my fussy cutting scissors and simply cut around the sticky side of the tab.  Voila!

I played a bit more with the exact placement of my layered photos before I committed with adhesive.

Don't forget to leave the top of your photo open if you are going to use it as a pocket.  I used really thin, double sided tape to make sure my tag had enough room in the pocket.

Here's a look at the dimension of my photo frame.  Pretty cool, eh?

I want to create a little corner cluster for my layout, but I don't have any leafy type embellishments that fit with this so I made my own.  See how simple it is?

Just sketch out the design you want, the size you want on the colour paper you need and cut it out with your fussy scissors.

I also added some tiny leaves.  This is it!  This tiny shape that's also easy to cut.

The flower came from the pizza box and the wooden button matched great with the venire frame and bike.  I added a touch of bling for some poppage and glam.  Three brown gems on my tag, two tiny red gems on the bike and two larger red gems on my cluster.  Balance and repetition are the way to go when designing a layout.

That is it for today.  I'll be back next week with another coordinating page from this album.  Last week I did a similar blog with a 12x12, kid themed layout.  Check it out here.

Here is a our free hybrid project from Saturday.

This is what is on tap for this Saturday.  Something sweet for dad.  It'll only take you a couple of minutes to make, it's personalised and it's really sweet. He'll love it!

Thanks so much for checking out The Cherry!