by Ethan Johnson
January 14, 2008

The Layout A Day Challenge continues apace at Big Picture Scrapbooking. The objective is to create one layout per day through the month of January. I can't believe I have been hanging in with this challenge! These are the next 7 layouts (out of 31).

Day Eight: OMG

I was casting about looking for inspiration for this day's layout, and it came in the form of an incredibly pompous comment left on Beth's blog. I told Beth that I was going to do a layout featuring the term "pecuniary remuneration" just to prove that it could be done. And I have proven this. A fine example of how to make a layout that doesn't rely on photos as such.

Day Nine: Art Lines

There are more things under heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Horatio, which means there's no end to what one might be inspired to make scrapbook-style layouts about. I love these "art lines" in our craft room. I keep rotating photos (mostly) on and off of the lines, which keeps the visual interest fresh in the room. This layout is an homage to that marvelous idea.

Day Ten: ESC4PE

I found a photo of my ten-speed bike dated 1983, and thought about the many hours I spent biking around the neighborhood. Then my first car, then my first truck. Four different methods to "escape". I was thinking about the album by Journey (and associated Atari video cartridge) and the way that the "a" was a "4". I used red marker to color the 4 in the stamped title.

Day Eleven: Marlena's Jewelry

Marlena has shifted from scrapbooking to making bead jewelry. She is getting better and better at it. I made a layout marking her progress, and commemorating my favorite piece that she has created so far. You really are creative, honey.

Day Twelve: My 2008 Goals

What kind of scrapbooker would I be if I didn't make a layout about my goals for the new year? I found some amazing patterned paper at a store that is going out of business. The pencils and standardized test circles helped support the "documentation" theme. The self-portrait photo was left over from the "Inspiration" shoot in December-ish (check the index page link below). Ta da!

Day Thirteen: Tie Dye Confidential

This is another mini masterpiece by way of that going out of business sale. The store had the tie-dye paper stapled to a piece of cardstock as a reminder to order more. They just tossed it in my bag, since it wasn't completely "saleable" in their view. I knew I wanted to make an 8x8 layout about my former tie-dye addiction, and suit aversion. I'd say both topics can be crossed off of my "to do" list.

Day Fourteen: Busted

I was riffling through a box of photos and found this all-time classic. I messed up the journaling (soon to be fixed); this was taken right around the 6-month mark. Magic and Racine (his biological sister who lives in Idaho) dug in mud the day after their first birthday party, which confused the timeline for this shot. The original photo was not dated... tsk! Love the guilty slouch.

Lessons learned:

• I can do this! Really!
• Remember to give feedback to others who either inspire you to be better, and encouragement to those who are trying to find their way.
• I'm one of those people who is either learning or teaching. I try to teach what I have learned, to keep the information flow moving. I don't particularly care for know-it-alls who view themselves as valuable because they refuse to share their knowledge with anyone else. And I really don't care for the attitude that some people adopt when they achieve a modicum of success: Not only forgetting where they came from, but effectively slamming the door on others, claiming that the field is a mess and they're the last one in under the wire. Hogwash.
• Always work with reprints of irreplaceable photos. If you ruin the reprint, print another one. This helps encourage new techniques rather than fretting that the layout must be perfect, lest something go horribly wrong.
• Make art. Don't fret over masterpieces or what isn't good enough. Just enjoy the opportunity to explore your creativity. (Worth repeating.)

Onward to week three! <EM>

(Want more scrapbooking articles? The full list may be found here.)