Layout of the Week - Quick & Colorful

Some projects are just for fun!  This is one of them.  I've always been wanting to try more of the fun tints on the Costco Photo Center website and this seemed like a fun photo to use.  I love the whimsical look of Andy Warhol's pop art and so does Delaney.  She took an art class last year where she got to create some very cool pieces of pop art!  Thanks to her, I have all sorts of fun, bright pieces around my home.

Since she turned 10 this Spring, I used this photo where a "10" appears to be coming out of her head...don't even remember where this was taken, but it's a fun photo!  Then I used the tints in the editting menu on Costco's Photo Center website to change the colors, saving a copy of the original and then going back to the original and doing it all over again for each color.  I printed each tint as wallets (you get 4 of the same photo, wallet size, for 39 cents...a GREAT deal, if you ask me!)

Next, photos in hand, I headed to Whimzee's to see what I could find.  I knew that my layout needed to be a simple one, with simple papers & embellishments.  I started this project with my ribbon chosen...we needed a sample at the store using this fun white felt flower ribbon from Creative Cafe, so I started with a couple pieces of it.  To add a little texture, I chose the white Bazzill dot paper with it's embossed texture.  Finally to mix in just a bit of color, I used some KaiserCraft rhinestones in colors that matched as closely as possible to my tinted photos.  I ended up with green, blue and red.  I was hoping to find an orange or gold rhinestone to match my sepia photo, but we didn't have any at the store.  So I used what I could find and spaced them out in the centers of the flowers with a few spaces in between.

For a simple layout design, I decided to arrange my photos "Warhol Style" in a square (I know it's a rectangle, but square just sounds better.)  I added a few rows of the ribbon and filled some of the flowers with the rhinestones & I was finished.  I love the look and the layout was super quick.  It's a fun design to use with any photos you have.  Just print out some wallets or crop your photos to wallet or small square size, grab your ribbon and you'll have a finished page!

I know some of you purists will notice I don't have any journaling...but I don't think every photo or layout needs journaling.  Sometimes just a photo or 4 photos tell the story!

Have fun scrapping!

Stop & visit me on Facebook, where I'm putting together a new page for the JulieChats Blog!

Tips

Use a group of 4 small photos and some ribbon or paper strips to create a simple, quick layout.

Try some tinted photos on your next project!

Don't feel like you always have to use tons of printed paper or lot's of color, sometimes neutrals & a little burst of color is all you need.

And DON'T worry if you don't want to journal every page!!!  It's YOUR page after all, there are no rules to scrapbooking!!!

Supplies

Bazzill Dot Paper

Creative Cafe Felt Ribbon

KaiserCraft Rhinstones

Costco Tinted Wallet Photos

Summer's Coming Tablescape

I feel like I'm in the slow lane on the way to Summer...it's taking FOREVER for any Summer weather to arrive here in Oregon.  So I've decided to turn up the heat and get creative.  When the box arrived with my Villa Appetizer Tray, it was just the inspiration I needed.

I combined the tray with a couple of my other Villa pieces to create a light, Summery centerpiece that creates a peaceful feeling with natural, neutral pieces.

By adding a piece of burlap as a table runner and tossing some shells in a pair of martini glasses, you can create a breezy summer look on your dining table or just a fun vignette on a side table.

If you're decorating your dining table, you probably need more than just one small tray for your centerpiece.  If you have two matching trays, great!  Use the second to create this same look and you're ready to go.  If you're like me and have just one tray, look through your dishes for two small ones that will give the other side of your tablescape a similar look, and use the same martini glasses and shells to finish the look.  One side balances the other out, even though they are not exactly the same.

I used two salad plates for my grouping opposite the tray.  For a nice balanced look on a medium size dinner table, place the tray grouping in the center of the table and one plate & glass grouping on either side.  These salad plate/martini glass pieces would be perfect as singles on small tables or in a row on your mantel. (Maybe I'll try this for my next mantelscape...hmmmm....)

Now, if you're trying to fill a larger dining table, like I was, think of the tray grouping and the two salad plate groupings as the right & left sides of your centerpiece.  For the center, look for a larger basket, bowl or similar container.  The exact size isn't nearly as important as the look of your container.  If you have a piece that matches the other bases you are using in this arrangement, perfect!  But it's fine if you don't, too!  I didn't have a larger piece for the center of my tablescape, so I chose a large hammered bronze bowl as my center container.  I think a large basket would look wonderful here also, in keeping with the neutral colorscheme.  I used this Cyprus Footed Bowl for my tablescape's center.  And to add a little height to the center of my table, I added new favorite thing, the Villa Pedestal with some shells and a chunky summer potpourri surrounding it and a large shell sitting on a bronze candle stand to top it off.

This center grouping can also stand on its own in the center of your table or on a side table.  Combined together these smaller groupings created a beautiful centerpiece on a large dining table.

Remember some of my favorite tips for creating great centerpieces for your table:

Find a color scheme that blends well with your room.

Think of the scale of your room...use larger pieces in larger rooms or rooms with high ceilings and smaller pieces in smaller rooms.

Use smaller, shorter items one the ends or around the edges of a larger center piece.  Then place larger items, progressively toward the center.  Picture creating centerpieces as creating a triangle or pyramid shape with the tallest items in the center.

Think in 3's...groups of items in 3's (or any odd number) are most pleasing to the eye.  For my Summer tablescape, I used 3 separate groupings...the Villa Tray serves as one, the Villa Salad Plates serve as another and the Cyprus Bowl serves as the third.

If you're looking for fresh, summer look, think neutral and stop by your local craft store.  Grab some of their economical burlap for a table runner and a few bags of their bargain shells to fill your containers.  Look around your house for some neutral dishes and containers.  White, ivory or brown would look great with this colorscheme.  Also, a natural basket or two would mix in nicely.  And instead of martini glasses, grab a few of your wine glasses to fill with shells.

If you need some decorating advice...just ask!  I love to help people organize and decorate their homes, just let me know what you'd like help with and I'll work on a post just for you.  I hope you get a few minutes to take a break from all your work and create a more beautiful space in your home.

Find most of the pieces I used in this tablescape over on my Willow House page. I sell these beautiful home decor products and I also share them & more decorating tips on my Willow House Julie page on Facebook. Stop by & visit when you get a chance.

And stop back here soon to see my next Layout of the Week project! Trying to decide which will be next...a Bella Blvd. project or one designed with Webster's Pages???? Hmmm..we'll see! :)

Have you made something lately & posted it to your blog?  If you have,  you should check out the creative links at Made You Monday over at Skip to My Lou....




Join me over at Kim's for THE BEST Linky Party on the web...Tuesday's Get Your Craft On @ Today's Creative Blog.  You'll find all sorts of great crafting & decorating projects, many with DIY tutorials.  Be sure to leave Kim a comment to let you know what you think and tell her Julie sent you :)

Layout of the Week - featuring Bo Bunny's Ad Lib Collection

I'm on a streak right now...two Layout of the Week posts in a row!!  This week, I'm featuring a layout I created with paper & embellishments from Bo Bunny's Ad Lib Collection.  This collection features some fun printed papers decorated with turquoise blue, creamy yellow, grass green & a nice cantaloupe-y shade of orange.

Lately, I've been creating a lot of one-photo layouts and the paper I chose for my background here works perfectly with one photo.  This photo is one of my favorites from last summer's trip to Seattle.  Delaney took this self-portrait of us on the Seattle-Bainbridge Ferry.  I mounted it on Bo Bunny's Licorice Flourish paper from the Double Dot Collection.  I trimmed the floral and dotted papers to use as embellishments.  Next I used two 2" x 12" strips of the Turquoise Stripe paper, also from the Double Dot Collection.  I punched one edge with a Wavy Dotted Scallop edge punch from EK Success.  Then I put the strips through my paper crimper and folded it to look like a pleated ribbon.

For a finishing touch, I added the Bo Bunny Ad Lib Trinkets to the upper left corner of the photo and a little fluffy orange yarn on each side.

Tips

For extra embellishments on your layouts, trim out a few of the graphic elements.  They add some texture to your layout and are very economical embellishments too!

Dig out that old paper crimper & use it to create a ribbon look with paper strips.  To give your layout an up to the minute look, use an edge punch to help your paper ribbon stand out even more.

And I know I've said this a million times, but use a black & white photo!  By printing in black & white, you can make any one of your favorite photos match any one of your favorite paper collections!

Supplies

Bo Bunny Ad Lib & Double Dot Printed papers
Bo Bunny Ad Lib Trinket embellishments
Embroidery Floss and Yarn, vendor unknown

Tools

Fiskars Paper Crimper
EK Success Punch

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Thanks so much for stopping by to visit!  I'd love to see what you think of my blog, so if you've got a sec, leave me a comment.  And if you have another sec and are interested in decorating, stop by my Willow House Julie page on Facebook & click "LIKE" to get bargains & decorating tips every day.  Thanks so much!