Welcome to the the final 2010 installment of Make a Page Mondays for this year. This little blog column is taking the rest of the month off mostly because December is month I find little time for scrapbooking consistently. Never fear, it’ll make a return here and there in the new year, when inspiration hits. This time, I’m dipping way back into an old favorite page from my first book. Ready? Okay!
(Click on the image to see larger in a new window)
SIZE/MODE: 8.5 x 11 scrapbook page.
THE STORY: I don’t scrapbook a lot with older photos, but I’ve got to tell you: this is one of my most favorite layouts of all time. Taking those photos that span a decade, each one featuring me and two of our very much loved family dogs, and putting them all together with a nice little chunk of journaling…well, this is what I want scrapbooking to be all about. Stories that matter to me.
The first three shots are of me and Sandy, a dog that my parents adopted from a shelter right after they adopted me. We grew up together, literally. Second hand me, and my second hand dog. We were meant to be. The fourth picture features Pal, who came to join our family when I was 11 years old. Another shelter puppy, that dog lived to be 20 years old. Vive le Pal, is what I still say to this day when thinking of that little guy.
Simple squares and lots of margin space are the core of this design. Let’s break it down.
1. Symmetry: There is is again—my favorite four-square photo arrangement. What does it yield, time and again? Symmetrical balance. What I have on the left, I repeat on the right. Solid, simple, predictable.
2. Repetition: Here I repeat shape (squares); color (black type, black bar); and margin spacing around the edges of the page. Everything can be repeated on any given design. When you do find things to repeat, it reinforces the overall tightness of the page.
3. Unity: What happens when you group photos and preserve purposeful spacing? To create a sense that your placement of elements is purposeful and cohesive. This translates to a unified overall design. Nothing willy nilly going on here.
Here is a basic sketch you can download to keep in your scrapbooking files. The sketches are on 8.5 x 11 paper for easy printing.
software—Adobe InDesign
The papers for this layout have long since disappeared from stores. That’ll happen when posting a page from 2005. But you can take any two coordinating patterned papers or cardstocks to use as the base of the design.
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? Leave me a comment today and I’ll do my best to answer. To see more of the Make a Page Mondays series, click here.
Kate says
Ahh bless! we arent dog people but my husband is and i love my in-laws dog more than some of my family!!! cute page!
madeline St onge says
I grew up with lots of dogs too and a few cats here and there. Great LO
jo sowerby says
i love the story and seeing ur older pics cathy. u were, and still are, cute!!!!! i grew up with cats and i have always found pets therapeutic.
Jo xxxx
ale says
love the layout, but my favorite part is the journaling. thanks for the sketch, cathy!
Maureen says
As much as I try various layouts, my heart is really with the simple, graphic look. Like yours. <3
Maureen says
It’s pages like this that make me want to do more 8×11 layouts.
Julie says
I am a traditional, but digi-curious scrapper. Do you have any recommendations on software to get me started? Do you use more than one program or do you pretty much stick with the Adobe InDesign?
Lisa Dickinson says
This has to be one of my favorite pages of yours – and I’m reminded that i wanted to do a Dog Years pages of my own after seeing it. LOVE 🙂
c@rol w says
Cathy, you made me so sad with your comment “second hand me”. You are first class in my book.
cathy says
Julie, i would wholeheartedly recommend Photoshop Elements! I do use InDesign, but really, its more of a desktop publishing type of program and the standard for digital scrapbooking is Photoshop! Most all templates you can buy are layered PSD (photoshop documents) files. : )
PSE is very affordable (around $80) and has many great features. A little bit of a learning curve, so i would recommend taking classes from JessicaSprague.com or ReneePearson.com to learn!
cathy says
oh, I meant it in a good way. I have a deep love and appreciation for second hand anything! : )
Ali Edwards says
Love that template Cathy.
kim smart says
cathy, i absolutely agree with you about being raised with dogs, (all animals) it truly makes for a better person! and i love!! this layout. now i’m gonna go dig around for some pics of my own fur babies and copy, i mean, scraplift your layout, lol!!
heidig says
I have scraplifted that design for many of my own pages. It’s easy and pleasing to the eye. Thanks Cathy! Happy Holidays!
Lee says
Hi Julie –
Just chiming in…
Adobe has packed a huge amount into Photoshop Elements. Frankly, they put all the really cool stuff into it! There is a learning curve. (I used my husband as a spotter to keep me from throwing my laptop out the window.) But then, all of a sudden, it clicked and I was off and digi-scrapping.
Good luck!
;o)
– Lee
P.S. Video tutorials are a huge help because you can watch what they do.
Lee says
Hi Cathy –
Pets are great members of the family!
Was Sandy a copper coated Siberian Husky?
The photos took my breath away because Sandy looked like our beloved Husky Z.
Z lived to be 15 1/2 and was a peach.
Thanks for another “Make A Page Monday”!
;o)
– Lee
Sue I says
Thanks for this post today. I too a long time dog lover. My current beloved Chocolate lab turns 14 today. I can’t imagine our lives without sharing with a furry, wet-nosed, sock-stealing, tear comforting four-legged friend. They sense things when no one else in your family notices. Truely a gift to experience that true unconditinal love. Like no other. Happy Birthday to my love Sydney today.
Andi Sexton says
I love this layout and am so moved by your journaling. Oh my gosh… beautiful. The lessons learned, and what GREAT parents you have!
amy tangerine says
i adore this layout- the journaling, all of it. and so do my dogs.
Sharon says
Chiming in too. I agree with the others Photoshop Elements has everything you need. And I can whole heartedly recommend doing two of Jessica Spragues courses – Photoediting – Good to Great Workflow and Up & Running in Photoshop. They cost a little bit bit both helped immensely with the learning curve. Good luck!
cathy says
Sandy was a husky mix, but we were never sure what he was mixed with. Gosh, he was a sweet dog. So gentle.
cathy says
: ) Thanks, Amy. I love that your dogs are blog readers. ; )
c
Christine Guest says
I’m awarding you a blog award see http://homeschoolblogger.com/curiousities/783904/
Pretty schematic I love knowing the measurements of the photos,I have been known to measure photos of lay outs in magazines and set up proportionalities to get the exact dimensions…but I was laid up after surgery then, you know, percoset.
-Christine
Julie says
Sharon, Lee, and Cathy,
Thanks for clearing this up! I have been trying to decide if I should start digi-scrapping or not. Do you find it less time consuming than traditional scrapping? I also really like the textures and dimension of traditional scrapping, so I’m not sure how I would feel about the printed digital page. Any other thoughts on this? So glad to have your experience and advice on this!
Kim says
Hi Cathy, I have to say that I was never a dog lover until my sister got one. Going with her when she had to put him down was one of the saddest days of my life, and I still instantly tear up just thinking about it. It’s funny the impact dogs have, isn’t it? Also, just wanted to let you know that I used one of your older Make a Page Mondays as inspiration for my blog today. I am new to blogging and hopefully credited you correctly. I hope that’s ok, and if it’s a problem, please let me know and I’ll take it down right away.
aliza says
Hi, just chiming in, though I know it’s late in the day. About a year ago I got photoshop elements, and took a Renee Pearson class (Just the Basics), which taught me A LOT. I use photoshop all the time, but more as a tool in traditional scrapbooking. I didn’t get the same satisfaction from a printed page. And my pages are pretty simple, just paper, cardstock, and photos,and maybe some buttons or brads–but I need a real life button, not a picture of one.
dawn says
I really love this one Cathy, love those old stories. These are great pictures over time of you. Enjoy taking the rest of December off, I agree too many fun things to do this month. Thank you so much for sharing these with us.
samone says
Thankyou for sharing these.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your bog since I discovered the world of blogs only a few months ago! Merry Christmas from Australia x.
Margy Eastman says
Love this page, Cathy! My mom loved dogs too…thank God or I might have ended up an engineer like my dad. It’s fun seeing how many of your readers are “dog people” – being an older mom, I was “dog” before I was “kid.” Some of my favorite pages feature Jack and our fur-babies.
One of my favorite childhood quotes from mom upon completion of my daily childhood poo-scoopin’ duties -“Margaret, it builds character.”
Have a great week!
Julie says
Thanks Aliza!
cathy says
Merry Christmas to you! And glad you found this blog!
Becky says
Good post and welcome to my website: http://www.joyfax.com