Stylish Monthly Pack

I've enjoyed creating some layouts with the Stylish May Pack... my favourite colour combination of blue and brown! Here are some sneak peeks:





Keep an eye out for the layouts in an upcoming Crafting in Style newsletter.

Posted by Karen

New Dare - Challenge your Colour Palette

Hi Girls, as you well know I love to use colour in my layouts, my dare for you this time around is to challenge your colour palette, to take on a combination of colours that you would not normally dream to try.

With my layout 'Playtime' I think I have gone a colour step beyond were I would normally go! I pulled the PP's out to scrap with a different, fairly static single photo then decided I wanted to scrap these pics instead but didn't change my PP's!

I have used all the of the bright colours in these photos of Sebastian as my guide but used a bright contrasting Orange to separate the photos and embellies from the background of the page.

For colour inspiration, you could try browsing the paint chips in your hardware store, play around with your kids coloured pencils, tip your blossoms in a pile and find a combination you like, browse kids picture books or just rely on your photos to be your guide.

I keep a bunch of paint combo chips on a big jump ring in with my tools and take pics or notes when I stumble across a colour combo that I want to try.

Have fun! Can't wait to see you bright creations screaming out from the gallery!!
Tatum xx

New Dare

So I am thinking 'freestyle' and I am not referring to the stroke that is used in swimming either LOL!! I hear lots of scrappers describe their style as 'freestyle'but what does the term actually mean? Is it scrapbooking without 'rules' but which 'rules' are these - Design rules or someone elses rules? Does it mean free hand doodling and funky fresh writing like what Elsie Flannagan does or does it mean design elements that are random in configuration. Does it mean no straight edges or does it mean mixed up font for a title that is randomly placed. Is it a combination of mixed media or is it where there is a lot of 'white space' or 'open space'.

Hmmmmm, I have been scratching my head for ages about what 'freestyle' means as there are so many varied interpretations of what it could be. Anyway this is my intrepretation of what freestyle is: Open space and using space for emphasis like to create a focal point ie; something that draws the eye in, the use of doodles or flourishes, mixed media ie: different textures, shading, dimensional and 'flat' elements, funky colour schemes - for example seeing bright colours on a baby layout for example rather than the traditional soft, pastel colours that we love to use, random titles - ie using different fonts and text in fun innovative ways, mixing the letters up rather than having them all the same. Freestyle still adheres to the 'design principles' - rule of thirds, constrast, focal points etc.... they are just freer in style - well that's what I think anyway.
So with saying all of this; here is what I have come up with



You will notice that I have used the design principle 'direction' in my lay out - that is, I am drawing the viewers eye to a point. I have funked it up by using an oversized arrow to do this. I have also randomly cut around the design on the patterned paper and funked up a design flower design for an embellishment. Although the font is the same for all the letters, I have made it random by using different colours for the letters. There is white space and contrast and there is doodling.

This is an example of an earlier freestyle attempt



For me freestyle has less to do with a certain 'look' or the way something should be and more to do with doing something different that you wouldn't normally do. So what does 'freestyle' mean to you? I dare you to 'break your own rules' and try something different!! Can't wait to see all your freestyle adventures
Upload to the Dares gallery by the 30th April 2008