Scrapbook crafters are always looking for additions or embellishments they can add to their pages to create a special look of panache.  Eyelets and grommets can be that added touch you’re looking for.

Eyelets and grommets have been around for a long time.  Eyelets have mainly been used in sewing to provide added strength to stress areas to apparel and shoes.  Grommets are used primarily to provide reinforced holes for threading things through and are generally larger in size than eyelets.  Scrapbooking has given them both a new twist and provided them with an additional beneficial life.  Eyelets and grommets are most often thought of as elements for attaching various facets together, i.e. vellum to card stock or scrapbook page paper.  Yes, this is an often used option, and continue to use them for that purpose, but consider their decorative value also.  Think about using them in place of other touches you might otherwise use, i.e. eyelets in place of bullets when journaling, the center bud of flowers, etc.  Let your own creative mind open to new an fun ways to use them.  Be artistically creative!

These special embellishments come in a wide variety of colors.  This is great!  The broader the spectrum the better to be able to find a color and size just right for your special projects.  Applications of these fun adornments are much easier with the tools available for you to use to apply them.  See our article on “Eyelet and Grommet Setting Tools for Scrapbooking.”

These decorative  embellishments are available from a number of popular brand makers and suppliers: Karen Foster Design, Provo Craft,  Making Memories to name a few.  They can be purchased through many online outlets such as Scrapbook.com, JoAnn,  A Cherry on Top, CreateForLess to name a few.  These providers often have great sales–take advantage of them.

One note of caution: when purchasing eyelets and grommets be sure they are non-rusting and paints or coloring used on them are safe for scrapbooking–acid free in particular.  You don’t want them to be a damaging effect to your handy work, but a wonderful addition.

Grommets and eyelets offer you a fantastic opportunity to add a special touch of panache to your scrapbook and card  projects.

Using Eyelets and Grommets in Scrapbooks is a post from: ezscrap.net

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The growth of scrapbooking over the years has spawned a miriad of companies offering us a plethora of products to help us spruce up our scrapbook pages.  There are so many things to choose from it almost gets impossible to select just the right ones for our project–which means we usually purchase too many, and thus we tend to use way more than we should.  You know, if I have them, I should use them.

We want the new products and inovations.  What we as crafters have to do is decide which items are best suited for my project.  One new look or product may not be any better than another.  Each scrapbook endeavor we design probably has several looks and feels we could employ. 

“Variety is the spice of life!”  Too much variety, however, can spoil what we are attempting to accomplish.  Using good judgement, tempered with some common sense will help us complete our pages with the appropriate amount of embellishment to accent and drawout our photographs.  REMEMBER, THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE THE FOCUS OF THE PAGE.  What we add to any scrapbook page should be focused on augmenting the pictures.

Things to consider in selecting our embellishments would be color, shape, texture and size.  These helpful additions should not overpower our theme, and definitely not the photographs.

A good practice to follow when considering what embellishments to use and to what extent is to follow the “rule of three.”  This is the rule used by artists where odd numbers are used.  Three is more than adequate in most cases.  Much beyond three and gaudiness tends to set in.  When designing your pages consider no more than three technique types, colors, sizes, etc. of embellishments.  Most often, a little goes a long ways.

When designing your scrapbook pages be sure to make your photographs the focal point and core of your effort.  Let the embellishments enhance your pictures.  When the embellishments become the focus of your page, you’ve missed the boat.

Prevent Scrapbook Embellishment Overload is a post from: ezscrap.net

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• Select a Focal Point
• Photographs should be arranged in a strategic manner to draw the viewer to the focus of  your page
• Scrapbook pages should be designed around a visual triangle
• Construct your page using the “Rule of Thirds”
• Everything in its place–arrange items with thought and purpose–for continuity and relationship
• Repetition is beneficial in the design helps provide unity of elements
• Contrast can provide interest and focus
• Embellishments should be consistent and coordinating
• Eliminate white space and voids
• Utilize the “odd number” element

Select a Focal Point.

As you begin the design and layout of your scrapbook page, the first thing you want to do is identify what your purpose is.  What is the pictorial story you want to convey.  What are the most important elements which would help you say what you want to say to the view of your page.  There is only ONE focal point per page, but you can have ancillary or secondary points–just limit them, or your page will loose its purpose with too much busyness.  See our article “Select a Focal Point” for more detailed information.

Photographs should be arranged in a strategic manner to draw the viewer to the focus of  your page.

Photographs are the spine of a scrapbook.  Scrapbook pages are crafted for photographs.  Each page is designed to tell or add to a picture story.  The alignment or arrangement of photos on a scrapbook page should be structured to focus on the theme of the page.  Pictures should be placed to draw attention and to provide a flow of the viewers eye from one picture to another to complete the story in a logical sequence.  See our article “Balancing Your Scrapbook Page Layouts” and “Plan Your Scrapbook Page First“

Everything in its place–arrange items with thought and purpose–for continuity and relationship.

When designing your scrapbook pages everything has it’s place.  Every aspect, from pictures, journaling to embellishments, should be placed in an order that provides fluidity, harmony and continuity to all the other elements of the page.  The placement of items should provide a natural flow from one facet to another in an orderly fashion.  The colors should enhance and augment the theme of the page.  The two articles above should help provide more detail about this continuity concept, and the importance of putting each element in an appropriate place on your scrapbook page.

Construct your page using the “Rule of Thirds.”

The “Rule of Thirds” is an design tool to layout your scrapbook page into thirds–both horizontally and vertically.  This provides you with 9 imaginary boxes.  A companion rule is the “Golden Ratio.”  Both of these rules help you identify areas on your page where you would or could begin placing the focal elements.  These are not a hard and fast rules for scrapbookers, but the give you a starting point.  For more information and detail on these two design tools see our articles: “Scrapbook Layout: “The Rule of Thirds” and “Scrapbook Layout: “The Golden Ratio.”

Everything in its place–arrange items with thought and purpose–for continuity and relationship.

Based on the information provided thus far you can see where everything on your page should be coordinated and focused on the theme you are presenting.  Each element should add to or enhance the pictoral story you are presenting to the viewer.  Like or related items, when grouped together or in close proximity to one another, will help create a stronger visual image.  This process adds emphasis and focus to a specific element on the page.   All related elements should help direct viewers to the primary focus of the created page.

Repetition is beneficial in the design helps provide unity of elements.

Repetition in your page construction process adds to the overall continuity of the page.  This process helps pull the page together.  This technique is especially important when you are creating double or multiple pages on the same theme.  Repeating such items as: color, texture, shapes, sizes, embellishments, etc. will help hold an tie together your page.

Contrast can provide interest and focus.

By varying various aspects and elements of your scrapbook page you create interest through contrast.  You can change or add contrasting features such as: color, size, font type, shape, etc.  Contrast can be over done to the extent the prime focus or theme of your page is lost.  This is one of those areas where “a little goes a long ways.”  Use it, but be judicious in the application.  Start simple and add as needed.

Embellishments should be consistent and coordinating.

Embellishments on your pages should be added to provide or enhance your page’s theme or focus.  Use them consistently and in a coordinated way.  This is especially true when creating double or multiple pages.  The principle here is similar to “Contrast can provide interest and focus.” noted in the previous item.  A reminder, a little goes a long way.

Eliminate white space and voids.

Generally speaking, what you want to do is fill your page with material that adds, or speaks to, the focus of your page.  “white space” (open or blank space) can distract the viewer’s attention to your theme.  You don’t have to have “every space filled with something.”  You want the page to flow from element to element with the least with the least amount of distraction to draw the viewer away for the purpose of you picture story.

Utilize the “odd number” element.

In the art world, artist hold to the element of “odd numbers” (1, 3, 5, 7, etc.).  Scrapbooker’s should hold to this rule as well.  Viewers find odd numbers to be easier and more pleasant to look at–the understanding of this is not fully understood, but it works.  Most pages should not exceed 5 items of point.  This may well be one of those “don’t fix what ain’t broke” sort of things.  Just use it!

Scrapbook Design Tips To Consider is a post from: ezscrap.net

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A centering ruler is a very useful tool for scrapbooking use.  The prime benefit of a centering ruler is to quickly and easily figure out centering objects that are in relationship to one another.  Calculation and measuring with out the benefit of a centering ruler can provide uneven results.

Layouts are much easier to handle with the help of a centering ruler.  Little or no guess work is involved.  There are enough other issues to have to deal with than guessing the center points of related objects.  This tool is especially  perfect for centering words on your scrapbook or craft projects.

EK Tools – Centering Ruler Pro

EK Success has a great tool–their Centering Ruler Pro–that was designed primarily for help in your centering tasks.  This 2″ x 15″ ruler offers these benefits:

• Flexible – allows for perfect center alignment on flat and 3-dimensional objects
• 7″ measurement from right or left of center
• Easy to read “black and white” numbers which can be read on both dark and light surfaces
• Has both inches and metric measuring gauges
  
• Has a sticker release surface so you can use the ruler to line up stickers–lettering in particular–for perfect centering

Centering Ruler is a post from: ezscrap.net

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The Cricut Gypsy is the newest innovative scrapbooking tool from Provo Craft.   Now scrapbook designers have the capability of creating and designing great scrapbook pages on the go.  The Gypsy’s portability expands the crafter’s capacity to create and produce their designs just about anywhere they go: on a trip, to the doctor’s office, scrapbook parties, just to name a few places where you might want to take it with you and use while waiting.

The Gypsy is the portable design studio to be used with your Cricut cutting machines.  This amazing little tool can be hooked up to your computer, your Cricut machine, or used by itself alone.  Gypsy is a compact dynamo hand held tool that can store Cricut cartridge’s contents (it comes with two cartridges preloaded in its memory), CD contents from your computer, and information from your Cricut machine itself.  This machine’s storage capacity can give you up to 10,000 designs to work from–awesome!  The vast pool of resources you may add to your Cricut Gypsy  can easily by found by searching for the title of a cartridge or keywords of a design–how easy is that?  Once this information is stored in your Gypsy it can be used in any Cricut machine–whoa, talk about being functional and versatile!

The Cricut Gypsy allows you to perform several important design functions: slant, size, rotate, flip, stretch, and weld.  All of these functions give the designer optimum creative ability in constructing scrapbook pages or greeting cards.

The machine’s touch screen allows you to see the feature or function you are looking for, or working on at the moment.  A stylus is used to make navigating through all of the functions and features available with the machine very easy.

At approximately 8″ long and weighing just under a pound, the design dynamics of this machine allow the serious scrapbooker to design just about anything anywhere.  A purse, backpack, or its own carrying case will let you take it just about anywhere you want to go.

Gypsy come with a rechargeable battery.  The battery’s charge life is ” . . .  about four hours with continuous use, and up to eighteen hours with intermittent use.  Battery life may vary depending on how bright the screen brightness is set.”  An AC adapter and car charger are provided.  A computer connection cord is also included, along with an instruction booklet, protective cover and carrying case.  (We recommend watching the videos provided by Cricut) to speed you along your way in using this powerful portable design tool.)

This powerful, yet little tool, is for the dedicated scrapbooker and greeting card designer.  While it may not be the least expensive scrapbook tool for its size.  The Cricut Gypsy does provide the serious paper crafter with a light weight, huge memory capacity, easy to operate, dynamic and portable design tool.

You can purchase just the Cricut Gypsy packet, or what we recommend is the Cricut Gypsy Machine Bundle.

Here is where you can find good prices for your own

Gypsy Portable Personal Handheld Design Studio is a post from: ezscrap.net

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“LET THE FUN BEGIN”

Next to the photograph, accents are the heart and soul of your scrapbook page or book. For most scrappers this is where the fun begins. These embellishments should highlight and enhance your focal point. You never want to over power your focal point or photos with too much embellishment. All elements of design should direct attention to your focal point–make it say what you want if to say!

You don’t have to be independently creative here. Using the benefit of others creativity can be a starting point. Where there is scrapbooking there are ideas: shops, magazines and friend’s scrapbooks–just to name a few. There is no want for ideas in this scrapbook crazed era if you take a little time to look around and explore.

One Note of Caution: As you use accents, be sure to use acid-free paper to keep your pages from yellowing or breaking down over time, and that your embellishments won’t cause damage or problems with your page, or your book.

Design Accents and Embellishments is a post from: ezscrap.net

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We all need balance in our lives. Too much of a good thing often turns into a distasteful thing.

In design, balance is a fundamental principal.

Scrapbook pages should have good and effective balance–not too much of any one thing. When proper layout is accomplished your balance looks and feels comfortable, easy and right.

Elements of your page have weight. If there is an over abundance of any one element then the element becomes over weighted. One big picture improperly placed can dominate, but give balance when other smaller pictures are added. That doesn’t mean to say you have to do pages with more than one picture, but if you do a one picture page you need to add balance with embellishments, title and journaling.

You are looking for symmetry (balanced proportions). There are two forms we are concerned with: Asymmetrical–where there is a lack of proportion–not symmetrical. Symmetrical items are parts on opposite sides of a dividing line or median plane, a center or axis–like two children on a “teeter-totter.” Each creates its own effect. For those of you who are more detail oriented and would like to know more about these two forms of balance- see the article on Balance and Symmetery in Scrapbook Design.

Balance is a visual effect. Item placement helps the eye move across and through the page. This eye movement promotes connectivity to unrelated items…a back and forth or up and down movement. Placement of items in a “Z” pattern or “diamond” form helps the viewer move fluidly about your page.

In art there is the rule of “3″ (or odd numbers 3, 5, 7, etc.) The easiest and most useful number is “3.” When you use more than three items your page can become to busy and the theme is hard to follow. If you have several photos you want to use it may be best to break them up into to coordinating pages.

Your prime focus item should be placed on those (imaginary) divisional third lines dissecting your page . . . it gives you a “tic-tac-toe” frame to work from. You don’t need to use drawn lines–just visualize them in your mind. Perfection isn’t required here.

You need to give your eyes a rest by leaving enough background space. This helps with letting the focus be on your photograph(s).

For additional information (a little more technical see: The Golden Ratio and The Rule of Thirds).

Balancing Your Scrapbook Page Layouts is a post from: ezscrap.net

Because scrapbooking is a visual activity, balance and symmetry are essential and the KEY to making a page look pleasing and functional. Balance in our scrapbook composition can be created with using different colors, sizes, material, shapes, etc. How you use each of these elements, which you control, is what creates the VISUAL INTEREST.

We often refer to balance as reaching some “equilibrium.” We try not to call more attention to one element of our page at the expense of the others–we try to establish some measure of unity.

We will further define the two elements we use to try to reach our level of balance: SYMMETRY and ASYMMETRY.

SYMMETRY

(Formal Balance)

Symmetry is derived from the Greek roots: syn, meaning with or together, and metron, meaning measure. Symmetrical balance is referred to as “formal balance.”

We view and think of Symmetry as being equal on both sides of a central axis, or a mirror image of one side to the other–like wings of an airplane. Even we as humans are symmetrical: two feet, two legs, two arms, etc. It tends to be the dominant concept when we try to arrange our scrapbook pages.

Symmetrical Balance:

Requires a vertical axis to divide our view . . . with that mirror image to guide our focus. When we follow this concept we get right and left balance.

Top and bottom balance are also important, and in some instances is the focus of our design–rather than right to left. An example of top to bottom balance would be a playing card (like the King of Hearts). We call this “Inverted Symmetry.” Be careful when using inverted symmetry because it can look and feel awkward.

Sometimes balance is directed from the center outward, like in the scallop shell, but is seldom used, and not recommended for scrapbooking . . . painting would be a better medium for this function.

Biaxial Symmetry usually has more than one axis of symmetry. In Biaxial Symmetry you would divide a scrapbook page into four equal sections with an axis running midway vertically and horizontally. Each section would have equal weight in the visual look to your page. There are other forms of symmetry (Radial Symmetry) but it serves little or no useful purpose in creating pleasing and easy to view scrapbook pages. If used, it would only be for a challenge–thus there is not discussion of it here.

While we talk about symmetry as being a mirror image of two halves, in real life this seldom happens perfectly–even though we may visually look at things that way. Look at a leaf. Our initial impression would be that it is symmetrical. Fold it in half down the center vein, and you will see that while very similar they are not mirror images. This should tell you that symmetry is important, but exactness is not what you should work to accomplish. In scrapbooking, being very close–to the extent that it looks reasonably even to our naked eye–will suffice. When the sides become too different, we have lost our balance and symmetry.

ASYMMETRY

(Informal Balance)

Asymmetrical: means without symmetry . . . there are no mirror image. Because there is no established or simple formula for directing or creating asymmetrical balance the designer is left to structure or make sense of the balance being presented. We tend not to use this form of balance because of its lack of defined structure, but it has its place. Sometimes we don’t want that “formal” look. It can feel too starchy . . . some random chaos may be more suited to a particular page. When you decide this is the form of balance you want to use, pay attention to the flow of your page visually. Does your eye tend to move about the page–discovering all of the elements, or does it get pulled back to one area? If you have a comfortable wandering eye about the page, you probably have achieved the optimum asymmetrical balance. The suggestion here is to use it sparingly.

When using this balance form, randomly scatter elements of equal interest about your page. You have created unity, and the eye has ease in moving about your page. You could consider it like dropping confetti–not every piece falls in the same place, but each piece has an equal value. The problem with this process is that if you create too much equality and uniformity it lessens the variety, and the layout can then look boring and uninteresting.

Because there are no rules, defined guidelines or limits for using asymmetrical balance, you can easily get carried away. Always be aware of the use of size, color, shape and placement of items on your page. As noted above, it can be functional if not overdone. Some artisans like this form because of the freedom from “rules.” This can lead to a lack of organization, so you need to be sensitive to this pitfall. Good careful, organized placement of photos, embellishments, journaling, colors, etc. can be very effective.

Rule for using Asymetrical Balance: “Keep it Simple Stupid” (KISS).  “Less is always better.”

More Information About Balance and Symmetry in Scrapbooking is a post from: ezscrap.net

“Plan Your Page”

As you plan your page(s) you need to have some conceptual idea of how you want it to look . . . what you want it to say. You need a plan for your scrapbook page just like a builder needs blueprints (a plan) to build a building.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Who will see this?
• What do I want it to say pictorially?
• Does it fit with other pages in a book, or is it a stand alone?

On a scrap piece of paper sketch out what you feel the page should look like. Consider the focal point, balance, color, etc. This then will become your working “blueprint,” but always subject to change as you see fit or are inspired to do.

Here are a few examples to show you how to do a rough layout.
(You can use templates too–either purchased or downloaded from the web.)

Single Photograph Layout

Two Photo Layout Sketch

Three Photo Layout Sketch

A Simple Scrapbook Layout

In addition, you may want to review “The Golden Ratio” and “The Rule of Thirds” articles.

Plan Your Scrapbook Page First is a post from: ezscrap.net

Understanding what color is and can do for you is essential. (See the article on Color Can Enhance Scrapbook Pages) to gain some understanding of the value of color.

The difference between an attractively designed page, and a so-so page, could rest on your proper use of color. The use of harmonious colors, those that work well together will help in selecting the color scheme you want to use on your page. A color wheel can make this design step much easier to accomplish. You can purchase color wheels to have easily at your disposal as you work on your page projects.

Sir Isaac Newton created the first color wheel which allows us to visualize color harmony–what you think looks good.

Your first step is to pick a primary color as your base. This color should be one that supports your page’s theme or focus.

Your next step, with the help of your color wheel you can choose those colors that support your base color. Consider the colors that compliment, those that are analogous and the triadic colors to your base color.

• What are complimentary colors?

Looking at your color wheel, they are the colors opposite each other:

red – green
blue – orange
purple – yellow

They look good together–which is why we say they compliment one another.

• What are analogous colors?

Looking at your color wheel, they are the colors next to each other:

red – orange
red – purple
blue – purple
green – yellow
orange – yellow

These are colors on the palette that blend well together. They tend to be less vivid and bright. Nature tends to combine these colors combinations in beauty and harmony.

• What are triadic colors?

These are colors that are separated on the color wheel by 120° . . . the primary colors (red, blue and yellow) or secondary colors (purple, orange and green) are examples.

With the assistance of a color wheel you should be able to choose and blend the colors that will enhance your scrapbook page.

Choosing a Scrapbook Color Scheme is a post from: ezscrap.net